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Forest Rejects Man City’s £105 m Offer for Anderson

6/4/2026

Summary

Forest Rejects City

Nottingham Forest rejected Manchester City’s bid for England midfielder Elliot Anderson.
The proposed fee could surpass the £105 million Arsenal paid for Declan Rice.
Anderson, 23, has made 92 Forest appearances, 50 this season, and is in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.
He has three years remaining on his contract after a £35 million transfer from Newcastle United.
Manchester United have expressed interest but say they cannot meet Forest’s expected price.

Summary

Anderson Dominates

Elliot Anderson accounted for 14 % of Nottingham Forest’s total Premier League touches in 2025-26, the highest share on the team.
He added four goals, four assists and blocked 1.4 opposition passes per 90 minutes.
His 2.8 take-ons per 90 placed him second among central and defensive midfielders with at least 1,000 minutes.
He recorded 8.3 passes into the opposition half per 90, ranking among the league’s top three.

Summary

Anderson World Cup

Anderson says his top priority this summer is the World Cup, emphasizing representing England.
Vitor Pereira says Forest must sign two or three players to balance the squad and faces a tight relegation battle with Tottenham, West Ham, Leeds and Forest.
Forest reached the Europa League semi-final, with Anderson appearing in 12 matches.
The manager admits he cannot predict the market and has no definitive answer on whether Anderson will stay.

History

Historical Context

The modern premium on young talent echoes the fee spikes that began when Real Madrid paid £85.3 million for Gareth Bale in 2013, shattering the previous world record. That landmark followed a decade of record-breaking deals—from Ronaldo’s £80 million move in 2009 to Manchester City’s £105 million purchase of Declan Rice in 2023. Nottingham Forest’s demand for Elliot Anderson therefore sits within this long-running escalation of Premier League valuations.

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Forest Rejects City

Nottingham Forest rejected Manchester City’s bid for England midfielder Elliot Anderson.
The proposed fee could surpass the £105 million Arsenal paid for Declan Rice.
Anderson, 23, has made 92 Forest appearances, 50 this season, and is in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.
He has three years remaining on his contract after a £35 million transfer from Newcastle United.
Manchester United have expressed interest but say they cannot meet Forest’s expected price.

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