Manchester City bid for Elliot Anderson rejected by Nottingham Forest
Manchester City’s first Elliot Anderson bid was turned away as Nottingham Forest held out for more than £100 million, testing the market for elite homegrown midfielders.
Nottingham Forest have rejected Manchester City’s opening bid for Elliot Anderson, setting up a negotiation that now hinges on whether Premier League clubs really believe a 23-year-old midfielder can command nine figures. Forest are holding out for well over £100 million and are using the recent prices paid for Declan Rice, Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández as their reference points.
Anderson has become the player at the center of that valuation debate. Forest signed him from Newcastle United for £35 million in 2024, and he has since made 92 appearances in all competitions, including 38 Premier League outings in the 2025-26 season. The move from a £35 million outlay to a demand that could reach £115 million shows how sharply Forest believe his market has moved.
City’s own internal valuation is understood to be far lower, around £80 million, which leaves a reported £25 million gap between the two clubs. That difference is the crux of the deal. Forest believe the market has already established a ceiling for top-end midfielders, pointing to Rice’s £105 million transfer to Arsenal, Caicedo’s £115 million move to Chelsea and Fernández’s £106.8 million switch to Chelsea as proof that Anderson belongs in the same band.
Manchester United are also monitoring Anderson, but are not thought willing to meet Forest’s price. That leaves City as the most serious suitor, especially with sporting director Hugo Viana heavily involved in recruitment and Enzo Maresca widely reported as the manager the club expects to appoint in the post-Pep Guardiola era. City view Anderson as a primary midfield target as they plan for that transition.
The timing adds another layer to the calculation. Anderson is expected to be in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the 2026 World Cup, which begins on June 11 in North America, and City want any agreement in place before the tournament so he can join pre-tournament preparations. Forest, meanwhile, may be tempted to hold on if his profile rises further on the international stage.
Vitor Pereira has already signaled that Forest understand a departure may eventually happen, especially after the club failed to qualify for European football next season. For now, though, Forest are treating Anderson as a premium asset, and City’s rejected bid has only sharpened the market test around one of England’s most expensive emerging midfielders.
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