Manchester City's Bernardo Silva during the Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester. Picture date: Saturday February 21, 2026.
Manchester City have moved to the front of the queue to sign Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson this summer, according to multiple reports, with the 23-year-old believed to favour the Etihad as his next destination ahead of a crowded field of Premier League rivals.
The transfer is being driven by urgency at City. Bernardo Silva, the club captain and one of Pep Guardiola’s most trusted players for nine seasons, has confirmed he will depart when his contract expires on June 30, a loss so significant that multiple sources have described replacing him as an almost impossible task.
Fabrizio Romano stated directly: “Manchester City are prepared to make a very important financial proposal to Elliot Anderson, leading the race as revealed since March. Manchester United is still attentive and keen if the Man City deal doesn’t happen. Nothing advanced with Forest yet.”
Anderson has become one of the Premier League’s most statistically impressive central midfielders this season, recording an 88 percent pass completion rate across 31 appearances and contributing significantly to Forest’s strong campaign since his £35 million arrival from Newcastle United in 2024.
Nottingham Forest have him contracted until 2029 and hold substantial leverage, with valuations ranging from £65 million at the lower end to north of £100 million if the player performs strongly at the World Cup this summer alongside Declan Rice.
City are specifically trying to complete the deal before the tournament begins in North America, conscious that a standout showing on the global stage would almost certainly push Anderson’s market value into territory that becomes genuinely difficult to justify even for a club of their resources.
Manchester United remain serious suitors, with the Red Devils also in desperate need of midfield reinforcement following Casemiro’s departure, and Arsenal have been linked as a third credible option given the Rice partnership dimension that could work in the Gunners’ favour.
What makes Anderson such a coveted prospect is his ability to function as a box-to-box midfielder with genuine defensive discipline, a profile that was scarce in the Premier League before his emergence and that Guardiola specifically prizes given how central that role was to his systems at their peak.
Mateo Kovacic and Nico Gonzalez are both linked with exits from the Etihad this summer, meaning City could potentially need two central midfielders, making the Anderson pursuit even more pressing despite the fee involved.
Forest’s position is strong and they are in no hurry. The club has shown in recent windows that they do not capitulate under pressure, and any club expecting to negotiate a discount from the £80 million-plus valuation may find themselves quickly moved to the back of the queue.
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