Nottingham Forest have rejected Manchester City’s second bid for Elliot Anderson, holding out for a package worth up to £130m, with negotiations still ongoing and Forest confident a deal could eventually be struck.
Nottingham Forest have dug their heels in after Manchester City’s second offer for Elliot Anderson — and they are still asking for big money.
Forest rejected a bid thought to be worth £106m plus £15m in performance-related bonuses for the England midfielder. Anderson, 23, is preparing for the World Cup opener against Croatia on June 17, while Forest continue to press for a deal that could reach £130m.
The price Forest are working from is understood to involve an initial payment of £110m, with up to £20m in bonuses. Even after two bids have been turned down, there is still confidence within Forest that an agreement will be reached.
The sum at the top end would be a British record transfer. It would also make Anderson potentially the third-most expensive player of all time. behind Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. who joined Paris Saint-Germain for £200m and £166m respectively. Whether Forest actually land that ceiling remains another matter. but Anderson would become comfortably the most expensive British player in history.
The current benchmark for a British fee — and the Premier League high watermark — is Alexander Isak’s £125m move from Newcastle to Liverpool last summer. Three years ago, Declan Rice became the most expensive British player of all time when Arsenal paid £105m for him.
Anderson’s value is being weighed by City as they plan for life after Pep Guardiola. His signing would represent a statement as the club edges into a post-Guardiola world.
This is not a new chase for City either. Manchester United have also wanted Anderson, but he has long topped City’s list of midfield targets once it became clear last year that captain Bernardo Silva would see out his contract and leave on a free transfer.
For City, the deal is also tangled with other negotiations. Talks are ongoing over a compensation package for Enzo Maresca, who left Chelsea six months ago. City sources have distanced themselves from the idea of landing Enzo Fernandez.
In the wider market. City also admire Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali. and the future of £50m Spain midfielder Nico Gonzalez is uncertain. For the positions beyond midfield. a right back and a winger are on City’s shortlist ahead of Enzo Maresca’s debut campaign. with Tottenham looking to secure a deal for Savinho.
All of it leaves Anderson at the center of a negotiation that Forest are treating with patience — and City are having to meet on their terms if they want the player.
Nottingham Forest Manchester City Elliot Anderson World Cup Croatia transfer news Premier League Bernardo Silva Enzo Maresca Sandro Tonali Declan Rice