Elliot Anderson completes £116m move to Manchester City from Nottingham Forest
Elliot Anderson has completed a £116m transfer to Manchester City from Nottingham Forest. The midfielder has signed a five-year contract with an option for an additional 12 months at the Etihad Stadium. The deal was agreed earlier in the month and finalised this week after Anderson’s return from the World Cup, where he helped England achieve a third-place finish.
Anderson expressed his excitement about joining what he described as “one of the biggest clubs in the world.” He noted that Manchester City is “built to win trophies and compete at the very top of the game.” He also stated that he was “over the moon” to sign for the club, highlighting their “relentless” winning mentality over the past 10 to 12 years as a key reason for his decision.
Anderson’s Journey to City
The 23-year-old midfielder was previously a target for Manchester United. Anderson began his career in the youth ranks at Newcastle, making 55 first-team appearances for the club. He also had a loan spell at Bristol Rovers. Two years ago, he moved to Nottingham Forest in a £35m deal, where he played 92 times.
During his time at Forest, Anderson became an integral player, helping the club finish seventh in the Premier League and qualify for Europe. Last season, he contributed to Forest reaching the Europa League semi-finals and was a Premier League leader in touches and duels won. He also became a key member of Thomas Tuchel‘s England squad, featuring in every game at the World Cup.
Manchester City‘s director of football, Hugo Viana, described Anderson as “one of the outstanding young midfield talents in world football.” Viana noted Anderson’s energy, work rate, and passing range, adding that his improvement has been impressive. Viana believes that at 23, Anderson has significant potential for development and can become a complete midfielder.
Looking Ahead to the Manchester Derby
Anderson is already anticipating the Manchester derby. Manchester City is scheduled to face Manchester United at Old Trafford on September 13. Anderson referred to the derby as “one of the biggest in the world” and stated that, in his view, City has been the “kings of Manchester” for as long as he has known the city.
The transfer fee for Anderson exceeds the £100m spent on Jack Grealish in 2021, making it a club-record fee for Manchester City. The deal was initially agreed upon while Anderson was playing for England at the World Cup, with an agreement reached between Forest and City before England‘s Group L game against Panama.
Anderson will join a team managed by former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca, who took over in June after Pep Guardiola stepped down. Anderson expressed his admiration for former City star Kevin De Bruyne, stating he has looked up to him for years and always wanted to play like him. Anderson is currently on a summer break and is expected to join Maresca‘s squad for pre-season training next month.
The £116m transfer fee for Anderson is part of a trend of increasing costs for top-end signings in the Premier League. This summer has also seen significant sums spent on players like Florian Wirtz (£116.5m), Alexander Isak (£125m), Sandro Tonali (£100m), and Morgan Rogers (£117m).
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Source: skysports.com
