Tuchel backs Anderson to thrive amid £100m-plus transfer battle ahead of World Cup

Thomas Tuchel has thrown his full support behind Elliot Anderson, insisting the Nottingham Forest midfielder is handling the pressure of a nine-figure transfer tug-of-war with complete composure as England prepare for the World Cup.

Manchester City have tabled a bid in excess of £100m for Anderson, but Forest are holding out for a Premier League record fee for a midfielder of more than £110m. Manchester United have also been linked, leaving Anderson at the centre of one of the summer’s most high-profile transfer sagas.

Far from viewing the situation as a distraction, Tuchel says Anderson’s display in England’s friendly against Costa Rica was evidence that the attention is only sharpening his focus. “He’s a top player. There’s nothing more to say, he’s the full package,” Tuchel said. “He seems not affected. It was an amazing performance against Costa Rica, he’s fine.”

Tuchel has made clear he will not prevent his players from discussing transfer matters while in camp, provided those conversations are kept away from match days. In Anderson’s case, he delegated any direct discussions to assistant coach Anthony Barry, but expressed no concern about the midfielder’s mindset.

“I won’t speak to him about it. My assistant coach spoke with him about it but I won’t,” Tuchel said. “It should push him because it’s proof of what he’s capable of and what level he can perform. At the moment it seems like a push for him.”

Tuchel also cautioned against the weight of a record-breaking price tag changing Anderson’s character. “People will try to hang around his neck this price but in reality nothing changes. He just changes the club, that’s the rules of the game. Hopefully he just stays the same — a humble, determined, hungry football player.”

Anderson is not the only England player to have navigated a major transfer in the build-up to the tournament. Anthony Gordon completed a £70m move from Newcastle to Barcelona shortly before the squad assembled, despite having barely featured in the closing weeks of the Premier League season. Tuchel noted that Gordon also impressed against Costa Rica, suggesting the disruption of a late transfer has not dulled his sharpness heading into the competition.