Manchester City's opening bid for Elliot Anderson rejected as Forest demand £100m

Manchester City’s pursuit of Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson has hit an early obstacle, with Forest rejecting City’s opening bid and valuing the 23-year-old England international at £100m or above.

City have been accelerating their search for a Bernardo Silva replacement since the Portuguese captain confirmed his departure, and Anderson has emerged as their primary target. The former Newcastle midfielder still has three years remaining on his contract at the City Ground, giving Forest considerable leverage in negotiations.

Should City meet Forest’s asking price, it would equal or surpass the club’s current record signing — Jack Grealish, who cost £100m in 2021. City have spent approximately £430m on new players across the last three transfer windows, but a nine-figure fee for Anderson would represent a significant commitment for a single midfielder.

Anderson has also attracted interest from Manchester United, though City have long been considered the frontrunners to secure his signature. For context on where the market sits, Premier League clubs have previously paid nine-figure sums for three midfielders: Chelsea broke the British transfer record for Enzo Fernandez and then Moises Caicedo, before Arsenal paid £105m for Declan Rice.

City’s midfield situation is further complicated by uncertainty surrounding other players in the squad. Rodri has said he will address his future after the World Cup, with speculation linking him to Real Madrid, while questions remain over whether Nico Gonzalez will stay at the club.

Meanwhile, Forest are also set to conduct their own transfer business this summer, with manager Michael Carrick expected to complete a £35m deal for Ederson from Atalanta as one of his first moves of the window.