Two years ago, Elliot Anderson was a £35M signing from Newcastle United. Now Manchester City is willing to pay more than triple that figure to bring him to the Etihad, in what would be the most expensive transfer in British football history.
The 23-year-old England international, who has become a central figure in his country’s World Cup preparations, is the subject of escalating bids from City that have reached £106M verbally, with add-ons potentially pushing the total beyond £120M. Nottingham Forest, understandably, aren’t in a rush to let him go. Their asking price sits at approximately £130M.
From League Two loans to nine-figure valuations
Anderson’s trajectory reads like the kind of career arc that makes scouts look like fortune tellers. A loan spell at Bristol Rovers in the lower divisions preceded his move to Nottingham Forest in July 2024, where Newcastle cashed in at £35M.
Manchester City’s opening gambit was reportedly around £85M. Forest said no. City came back with a verbal offer of £106M. Forest, again, weren’t moved. The gap between what City is willing to pay and what Forest demands has narrowed, but it hasn’t closed.
For Manchester City, they’re buying a player entering his peak years with international pedigree. For Forest, they paid £35M and could receive nearly four times that amount in return.