Manchester United believes it can snatch Elliot Anderson from city rival City
Manchester United is confident it can still beat Manchester City in the race for Elliot Anderson, the Nottingham Forest midfielder and England international who, after a very good season, has become one of the most sought-after names on the English market. According to Sky Sports, the club from Old Trafford believes it can attract Anderson with its sporting project and the space he could receive in a rebuilt team, although Manchester City is mentioned in several reports as a serious rival, and even as the current favourite. The Guardian reported that Forest has already rejected City's opening offer of around £80 million and that the Nottingham club values the 23-year-old midfielder at approximately £100 million. At the time of publication, according to the available information, neither Nottingham Forest, nor Manchester United, nor Manchester City had officially confirmed an agreement or a completed stage of negotiations. For that reason, the Anderson case can for now be described as a major transfer story in the making, but not as a deal close to formal completion.
Forest does not have to rush into a sale
Nottingham Forest enters the negotiations from a relatively strong position because Anderson is not a player approaching the end of his contract. When officially confirming his arrival from Newcastle United in July 2024, the Premier League announced that he had signed a five-year contract with Forest, which means he is tied to the club until the summer of 2029. Such a contractual situation gives Forest room to reject offers that do not reach its internal valuation, especially because Anderson has meanwhile grown from a promising signing into one of the team's most important players. According to data from the official Premier League website, by 9 June 2026 Anderson had accumulated 119 appearances, six goals and 13 assists in the English top flight, showing that he is no longer merely a matter of potential but a midfielder with serious continuity at the highest domestic level. Forest, according to media reports, therefore shows no intention of easily giving up a player who has become a central part of their play in possession, pressing and transition from defence to attack.
The financial framework of the story further explains why a figure of around £100 million is being mentioned. Anderson arrived at Forest as a player who still had to confirm his full senior potential, but his value has increased through a combination of club performance, international status and market demand for English midfielders who can play multiple roles. TalkSPORT, citing information from the transfer market, stated that City has already had one major offer rejected and that any new offer would have to be higher than the initial £80 million. Comparisons with transfers of other English midfielders in recent years are therefore not unusual, although every situation depends on the contract, age, player status and the buyer's willingness to pay the amount requested by the seller. For Forest, the key point is that any sale would not be only a sporting loss, but also a decision that would have to change the plan for assembling the squad for the new season.
Why Manchester United and Manchester City are interested
Anderson is attractive to leading clubs because he combines several qualities that are especially sought after on the market. He can play as a central midfielder, he can drop deep to receive the ball, he has the energy for duels and pressing, and at Forest he has also shown the ability to speed up attacks with progressive passes or by carrying the ball through the middle of the pitch. Statistical services and Premier League reports during the season particularly highlighted his involvement in possession and his high number of touches, while the English public also began to view him through the prism of the national team. That kind of profile usually interests clubs that want a midfielder capable of playing in different structures, not just a specialist for one narrow role. United's assessment, according to British media, is that Anderson could be part of a longer-term rebuild of the midfield, while City could see in him a player who increases depth and aggression in the middle.
Manchester United is trying in this race to make up for the advantage City allegedly has in the perception of sporting continuity and recent success. Sky Sports states that United nevertheless believes it can offer Anderson an important role at Old Trafford and convince him that his development there could be just as strong as in Pep Guardiola's system. Such arguments often carry weight in transfers, especially for players entering a period of their career in which regular minutes and a clear role can be as decisive as the status of the club itself. On the other hand, City's interest is no surprise because the club has for years deliberately sought technically and tactically adaptable midfielders, and Anderson's profile fits the trend of players who can cover multiple zones in midfield. In practice, the final decision could depend on a combination of Forest's price, the conditions for the player, the projection of playing time and Anderson's own assessment of where his best next step lies.
International status further raises the price
Anderson's rise has not remained only a club story. The Football Association states on the player's official profile that Anderson, after a notable role in the success of England's U-21 team at the 2025 European Championship, was called up to Thomas Tuchel's senior squad for the first matches of the 2025/26 season. According to the same source, he made his senior international debut on 6 September 2025, and by 9 June 2026 he had eight appearances and no goals. Entry into the senior national team is especially important in the context of the transfer window because clubs often place additional value on players who have already passed an international test and are in the manager's plans. The Guardian also reported that Anderson is expected to be in contention for England's starting line-up in the opening World Cup match against Croatia on 17 June, giving the transfer story even greater visibility.
The World Cup can have a double effect on the negotiations. If a player goes to a major tournament as an important member of the national team and confirms his form there, his market price and the number of interested clubs can increase further. At the same time, clubs that want to sign him may have a motive to accelerate negotiations before potential performances at the tournament change the dynamics and increase competition. Forest, in such a situation, has no reason to publicly lower the price, while United and City must assess how high they are prepared to go before the final phase of national-team preparations begins. According to the available information, Anderson is currently focused on his duties with England, and the final transfer outcome could also depend on how negotiations unfold during the tournament itself.
The summer transfer window has not officially opened yet
The calendar is also important. The Premier League has officially announced that the summer transfer window for the 2026/27 season opens on 15 June 2026 and closes on 1 September at 23:00 British time, although clubs can announce agreements before the formal opening of the window. This means that current negotiations, contacts and media information are taking place in the period of market preparation, when clubs often test prices and try to understand how willing sellers are to negotiate. In Anderson's case this is especially important because Forest, according to reports so far, shows no signs of wanting to accept the first large amount that appears. If a direct duel between the two Manchester clubs really develops, the seller will naturally try to use the competition to keep the highest possible price.
Manchester United must also take into account the broader plan for building the squad. The Guardian previously reported that United is working on midfield reinforcements, and Anderson is mentioned in that context as a player who would bring energy, intensity and better control of the central area of the pitch. City, on the other hand, already has a well-established system, but also a constant need to refresh the squad in order to maintain the level expected of it in the Premier League and the Champions League. Both clubs could therefore have sporting arguments, but also financial limits that will influence the final decision. A figure of around £100 million, if it proves to be Forest's real threshold, would mean that Anderson is not just a squad addition but an investment that must have the status of one of the key players of the project.
Anderson's path from Newcastle to the status of one of the most sought-after midfielders
Anderson's current market position is even more interesting when his development path is taken into account. He came through Newcastle United, and he also made an important senior step forward through a loan spell at Bristol Rovers, where he gained experience of competitive football outside the academy environment. After returning to Newcastle he received minutes in the Premier League, but his transfer to Nottingham Forest opened up a more stable space for development. In July 2024, the Premier League presented his arrival at Forest as the club's third signing of that summer, and since then Anderson has established himself as a player with value in both directions of play. Precisely such development cases often attract the biggest clubs because they combine a proven league, homegrown status, age perspective and tactical flexibility.
For Forest, any sale would open the question of how to replace a player who has become important for the balance of the team. A midfielder who can win duels, carry the ball and participate in build-up play is not easy to replace, especially if the club simultaneously wants to maintain competitive stability in the Premier League. That is why it is logical that the club insists on a high fee and approaches the negotiations without hurry. For Anderson, meanwhile, the choice between United and City would be a decision about the next development environment, not only about prestige. One path could offer a bigger role in a team looking for a new structure, the other work in a system that in recent years has been among the most stable in Europe.
A big price also brings big expectations
If negotiations move closer to the figure of £100 million, Anderson would enter a transfer category in which immediate impact is expected from the player. Such a price in English football does not reflect only current quality, but also potential, contract length, homegrown status, international perspective and the financial power of buyers. In the case of Manchester United, such a move would be a signal that the club wants to build the midfield around younger and more dynamic profiles, while for Manchester City it would represent a continuation of the policy of bringing in players who can maintain a high technical and physical level. Forest, according to everything stated so far, does not have to agree to a compromise it does not consider good enough. That is why this race could last, especially if Anderson's name remains in focus during his international duties.
For now, the most precise thing to say is that Manchester United believes in the possibility of a turnaround, Manchester City remains seriously involved, and Nottingham Forest holds the key negotiating position. The transfer has not been officially confirmed, and publicly available information indicates that the battle is only heating up. Anderson's form, international status and contract until 2029 make him one of the most expensive and most interesting players on the English summer market. In such circumstances, every new move by one of the Manchester rivals could change the dynamics of the negotiations. Until the transfer window opens and until clubs begin making formal offers that Forest considers acceptable, the Anderson case will remain an example of a transfer story in which sporting project, money and timing have almost equal importance.
Sources:
- Sky Sports – report on Manchester United's belief that it can beat Manchester City in the race for Elliot Anderson (link)
- The Guardian – report on the interest of Manchester United and Manchester City, the rejected offer and Forest's valuation of the player (link)
- Premier League – official announcement of Anderson's arrival at Nottingham Forest and the length of his contract (link)
- Premier League – official profile of Elliot Anderson with basic information and overall league record (link)
- England Football – official profile of Elliot Anderson in England's senior national team (link)
- Premier League – official confirmation of the dates of the 2026/27 summer transfer window (link)