Elliot Anderson has completed his move to Manchester City. A week earlier, leading English media had already reported that the midfielder would leave Nottingham Forest for the Citizens in a huge-money transfer. The clubs have now confirmed the deal.
Manchester City complete huge Elliot Anderson transfer from Nottingham Forest
Manchester City have completed the signing of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest, making the England midfielder the first new arrival of the post Pep Guardiola era at the Etihad Stadium.
The transfer had already been widely reported in the English media last week, with several outlets claiming that City were prepared to pay a huge fee to bring the midfielder to Manchester. The clubs have now confirmed the move, ending one of the most closely watched transfer stories of the summer.
Anderson came through the youth system at Newcastle United before leaving the club in 2024 to join Nottingham Forest. That move proved to be a decisive step in his career. At Forest, the midfielder quickly became an important player and developed into one of the most valued names in the squad.
His performances for the Tricky Trees attracted major attention across the Premier League. Several top English clubs were interested in signing him this summer, creating a real battle for his signature. Manchester City have now won that race, but they have had to pay a major price to get the deal done.
The exact figures mentioned in the English media have varied, but it is clear that City are paying well over 100 million euros to their Premier League rivals. Some reports even suggested that the English transfer record could be under threat, although that record remains the 145 million euro move that took Alexander Isak from Newcastle United to Liverpool in 2025.
Andersons growing role with England at the World Cup is also unlikely to have weakened Nottingham Forests negotiating position. The midfielder is representing his country as a starter at the tournament, which has only increased his profile and reinforced his status as one of the most promising English midfielders of his generation.
For Manchester City, the signing comes at a particularly important moment. Guardiola left the club this summer after 10 years in charge, bringing an end to a historic spell on the light blue side of Manchester. Enzo Maresca is now the manager tasked with leading City into a new phase, and Anderson becomes the first signing of that new chapter.
The midfielder will not arrive at the Etihad Stadium expecting an easy route into the team. Competition in the centre of the pitch remains extremely strong. Rodri, Nico González, Tijjani Reijnders and Mateo Kovacic are all options for Maresca, particularly in the deeper midfield roles.
At the same time, Bernardo Silva has left Manchester City this summer. The Portuguese playmaker is moving to Real Madrid on a free transfer, removing one of the clubs most intelligent and technically gifted midfield options. His departure gives City one more reason to refresh the squad in that area.
Anderson will now have to prove that he can make the step from being a key player at Nottingham Forest to competing for minutes at one of the biggest clubs in Europe. The transfer fee will bring pressure, but City clearly believe that his Premier League experience, international status and room for further development make him worth the investment.
With this deal, Manchester City have made a clear first move in the post Guardiola era. The arrival of Anderson shows that the club intends to remain aggressive in the transfer market and continue building a squad capable of competing at the highest level under Maresca.
