City, United and Arsenal set for summer midfield battle as Tonali and Anderson emerge as key targets

Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal are all expected to reshape their midfields this summer, setting up a transfer window that could determine the Premier League’s balance of power before a ball is kicked next season.

City face the most urgent rebuild. Bernardo Silva is set to leave, while the futures of Rodri and Nico Gonzalez remain uncertain. Sporting director Hugo Viana has identified Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson as the club’s priority target, though Forest are expected to demand a significant fee. City are also monitoring Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali as they plan for the possibility of signing more than one player in the engine room.

The competition for Anderson is already fierce. Manchester United, who finished third under Michael Carrick after the new manager steadied a troubled season that included wins over both City and Arsenal in January, are also pursuing the Forest midfielder. United have additionally agreed a deal to sign Atalanta’s Ederson, signalling their own ambition to overhaul their midfield options.

Arsenal, who claimed the title by conceding eight fewer goals than City despite scoring six fewer, are turning their attention to Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers as they look to build on their championship-winning campaign.

The stakes are high for City in particular. Pep Guardiola’s most successful sides were built on midfield dominance — Fernandinho and later Rodri providing the platform for Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden to flourish — and the squad has been substantially remodelled over the past 18 months. Viana’s task is to continue that process while rivals are investing heavily in the same positions.

Incoming manager Enzo Maresca, who steps into Guardiola’s role this summer, stands to benefit most if City win the midfield recruitment race. A settled, well-constructed engine room would ease his transition considerably as he inherits one of European football’s most demanding jobs.

The article draws a cautionary parallel: last summer, Florian Wirtz was widely considered the superior acquisition over Rayan Cherki, a reminder that the quality of a window is rarely obvious until months into the season. Whichever of the three clubs assembles the strongest midfield core, however, will likely carry a structural advantage into 2025-26.