“No-brainer”: Man City urged to complete “crucial” transfer of £100m-rated star

Elliot Anderson to Manchester City is an “absolute no-brainer” and Pep Guardiola’s side “should be pursuing” the in-demand Nottingham Forest star, Citizens expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole.

The 23-year-old has elevated his game to new heights since joining Forest from Newcastle United for a reported £35m in the summer of 2024 and has established himself as one of the brightest midfielders in the Premier League.

Anderson was a key cog in the Forest side that finished seventh in the Premier League last season, qualifying for the Europa League, and he has since played 17 times for the Tricky Trees in all competitions this season.

In Forest’s 2-0 defeat at home to Brighton last weekend, Anderson became the first player across the last 10 Premier League seasons to record 100+ touches, 10+ ball recoveries, 10+ duels won, 5+ key passes and 5+ successful dribbles in a single game.

As of November, Anderson ranked first versus Premier League midfielders for total passes, passes completed, forward passes completed, short passes, passes into the final third, defensive duels won, accurate crosses and touches.

The impressive form of Anderson has been recognised by England head coach Thomas Tuchel, with the midfielder handed his international debut in September before earning another four caps during 2026 World Cup qualifying, helping the Three Lions win all five matches.

Will Man City win the race for in-demand Anderson?

Although Anderson still has just under four years remaining on his contract at the City Ground, speculation over a potential big-money move continues to intensify ahead of the New Year, with several top clubs in England said to be interested in his services.

Recent reports have claimed that Man City are ready to make a move for Anderson, who has been scouted frequently by Citizens chiefs at the City Ground this season and is now considered to be one of the club's top targets.

Sean Dyche's side will allegedly reject any January offers for Anderson, but a summer sale ahead of next summer’s World Cup is possible, especially if offers of around £100m are received.

Despite interest from the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool, journalist Sacha Tavolieri has claimed that Anderson has already informed his entourage of his intention to give priority to Man City for a future transfer.

McInerney has urged Man City to make a move for “complete all-round midfielder” Anderson, who could be regarded as a potential replacement for captain Bernardo Silva - out of contract next summer - and may reach another level when coached by Guardiola.

“I really want Elliot Anderson at Manchester City,” McInerney told Sports Mole. “I think the past informs the future, and if you look at Elliot Anderson throughout his career, as a teenager he went on loan to Bristol [Rovers], scored seven goals, was jokingly dubbed the [Lionel] Messi of League 2, got them [promoted].

“I really believe if a player can make an impact at any level for any team they play for, that's a real good indicator of quality, especially for a midfielder. Great midfielders should be able to play anywhere at any level. They should be able to do a bit of everything.

Why Anderson to Man City is an “absolute no-brainer”

“Then of course [Anderson was] really impressive at Newcastle, an absolute fulcrum for England’s Under-21s, and then he's gone to Nottingham Forest and has been an absolutely fantastic player for them. He's eased naturally into the England setup, he's breezed in there, he looks brilliant for them.

“Really good players are just really good at everything. Elliot Anderson is clearly technically very good, very hardworking, fearless at any single level, more than suitable playing in any style - be it defensive, aggressive, possession-based - because his passing is up to scratch, his touch is up to scratch, his dribbling is up to scratch, he can create, he's homegrown, he's only really young.”

“There's a spot freeing up for him (at Man City) as Bernardo Silva almost inevitably leaves in the summer," McInerney added. “[Mateo] Kovacic will probably leave as well, and who knows how Rodri will recover.

“Elliot Anderson to Man City, to me, is an absolute no-brainer that I think City should be pursuing. He is such a complete all-round midfielder and when you measure stats against other people like [Adam] Wharton or [Carlos] Baleba and so on, he measures so favourably.

“He passes the eye test as well. It's not just the stats, he's clearly a fantastic footballer who has everything. He's about 5ft 10in, so he's not massive but he's the right size, he's more than big enough to assert himself. Incredibly diligent out of possession, in a very increasingly physical Premier League, he more than holds his own.

“Technically he's good, he's smart and imagine the level he could get to under Guardiola, who's always been good at improving midfielders who have it - and by ‘it’ I mean the mentality, the focus and that coachability.

“Guardiola talks a lot about players who are coachable and Elliot Anderson is clearly that guy as well, so I would love to see him at Manchester City. I think he would be an incredibly smart acquisition if we get him. It'll be expensive, but I think he's worth the hype. I think he's a really, really, really exciting player and I believe that he would come to City as well.

“There's some rumours that he wants City. He follows City (on Instagram). He follows England, Forest, Newcastle and City on Instagram. It’s such a childish thing to say, but he only follows four teams and City are one of them, [so] I think he wants it. I really believe it and hopefully it happens.”

Anderson could be the “crucial” midfield signing Man City need

At a time when Man City have been tipped to strengthen at right-back, right-wing and in centre-midfield in the near future, McInerney has explained why “it is crucial” for Guardiola to bring in at least one new player for the latter position.

“One doesn’t have to be more important than the other, but I think [a new midfielder is] definitely as important in my opinion,” said McInerney. “For me when you look at the midfield options, Nico Gonzalez is a lock for now, hopefully [Tijjani] Reijnders gets better, [Phil] Foden and [Rayan] Cherki [offer creativity], but then that's it really.

“Kovacic is going to go inside the next year or two, Bernardo Silva is going to go and we don't know what Rodri is going to look like in a year or two. That sounds awful to say as a City fan, but there's a decent chance - I don't want to say good chance - but there's a chance anyway that Rodri doesn't reach his prior levels and he's into his 30s.

“Rodri will be 30 by the end of the season and hopefully he'll be back to his best [by then], but he's not a spring chicken anymore. I think we absolutely need to replace Kovacic and Bernardo, and we need to start planning for the future. We need our home-grown players as well and Anderson is that.”

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