Man City Agree to Fourth-Most Expensive Transfer in History for England International

Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson will join Man City for the 2026–27 season.

Elliot Anderson is headed to Manchester City. | Stefan Koops/EYE4IMAGES/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Manchester City finally got their man. 23-year-old midfielder Elliot Anderson will become the team’s most expensive transfer ever, as well as the most expensive British player of all time.

According to The Athletic, Man City will pay Nottingham Forest a fee worth $153 million (£116 million) to acquire Anderson, an astronomical amount that sees City once again flex their financial muscle in historic fashion.

Only Swedish player Alexander Isak’s move to Liverpool last summer and the fees Paris Saint-Germain unloaded to sign Frenchman Kylian Mbappé and Brazilian Neymar Jr., cost more than what City paid to land the coveted Anderson.

Forest rejected City’s initial offer for the England international, but the Sky Blues remained confident in their ability to get the deal over the line. It appears they were right, all it took was surpassing the $137.5 million (£105 million) Arsenal spent to sign Declan Rice three summers ago, to secure Anderson‘s signature.

Anderson, currently away representing England at the 2026 World Cup, will reportedly undergo a physical exam in the U.S. and will then put pen to paper on his new contract. Agreeing on personal terms isn’t expected to be a huge hurdle, per The Athletic.

---

Why Man City Broke The Bank For Elliot Anderson

Elliot Anderson (right) scored against City back in March. | Carl Recine/Getty Images

City have been linked with a move for Anderson for a long time now, having emerged as the club’s biggest priority in the summer transfer market.

Anderson is the definition of a modern-day, all-action midfielder, capable of contributing in every phase of the game. He’s a proven, Premier League-quality talent, and in a stacked midfield market that includes the likes of Sandro Tonali and Adam Wharton, the 23-year-old former Newcastle United man stands above the rest.

“He’s a top player,” England manager Thomas Tuchel said about Anderson, via Sky Sports. “There's nothing more to say, he's the full package. I'm happy that he's with us on that kind of level and he's a key player for us.”

In Anderson, City have found the perfect player to take over for Rodri in the heart of midfield. The Spaniard still has some juice left in the tank but he’s just turned 30 and injuries have significantly compromised his availability over the last two seasons—plus, he’s been linked with a potential departure from the club.

Anderson is more than six years younger than Rodri and is coming off a season where he played every single match of the Premier League campaign for Forest, starting all but one of them.

---

What’s Next For Man City After Elliot Anderson Signing?

Elliot Anderson is City’s blockbuster summer signing. | Visionhaus/Getty Images)

More movement is expected from City during the months that remain of the summer transfer market.

The first order of business, though, is to finally officially appoint manager Enzo Maresca as Pep Guardiola’s successor. City are reportedly close to striking a deal with Chelsea for an astronomical compensation package to finally make the former Blues boss their new man at the helm.

Despite the hefty fee City paid for Anderson, there are other areas of the squad they’re expected to reinforce. City are looking for a new right back and a new winger, per The Athletic, especially the former, to add a player that can compete with Matheus Nunes for the starting job. Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento has been linked as a potential target.

Departures are also expected, with players such as Nathan Aké, Savinho and Omar Marmoush possibly headed elsewhere.

With Anderson’s transfer finalized, though, City have sent a clear signal of intent to the rest of the Premier League that they’re on a mission to return to the summit of English soccer to start the post-Guardiola era.

---