Elliot Anderson completes £116m move to Manchester City, calls club 'kings of Manchester'

Transfer details

Manchester City have completed the signing of England midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116 million ($153 million), a club record. The 23-year-old signed a five-year contract until 2031, with the formal announcement on Thursday after a medical conducted with FA staff in Kansas City during the World Cup. Anderson played all eight England matches as they finished third, providing one assist. He will take a three-week break before joining City under new manager Enzo Maresca, who replaced Pep Guardiola.

Anderson's rise

Anderson started at Wallsend Boys Club, the Tyneside nursery that produced Alan Shearer, then progressed through Newcastle United's academy. After a loan at Bristol Rovers, he moved to Nottingham Forest for £35 million in 2024, making 92 appearances, scoring six goals and providing 11 assists. Last season he played every Premier League game, recording four goals and four assists, and led the league in ball contacts and duels won. His England debut came in September 2025, and his World Cup displays cemented his reputation.

I guess it's happened quite quick, but I think I always believed that I could get to this point and this is where I want to be.

The negotiation

Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis initially demanded a package worth £126 million, comprising £106 million upfront and £20 million in easily achievable add-ons, aiming to exceed the £105 million Arsenal paid for Declan Rice in 2023. City preferred bonuses linked to winning the Champions League, which Forest considered unrealistic. Talks stalled until CEO Ferran Soriano intervened, and a breakthrough came in late June. Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak had first raised the idea with Marinakis at a UEFA dinner before the Champions League final. The £116 million fee briefly made Anderson the most expensive British player, before Chelsea paid £117 million for Morgan Rogers on Tuesday. Liverpool's £125 million purchase of Alexander Isak last summer remains the overall British record.

'Kings of Manchester'

Anderson immediately stoked the local rivalry, calling City "the kings of Manchester" and saying he looked forward to the first derby on 13 September. He named former City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne as his childhood inspiration and praised the squad's winning culture.

For as long as I've known Manchester, City have been the kings of Manchester. They're winners, they're relentless, and that's the sort of team I want to be a part of - champions and people who win trophies.

Anderson said he is still improving: "I'm only twenty-three, so I've got plenty of time to get to my best levels and I definitely think I'm not there yet." He described his style as bringing "quality, physicality, energy" and intensity, traits he believes suit Maresca's approach.

Midfield addition

City's midfield already includes Rodri, Nico Gonzalez, Mateo Kovacic, Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden, but Anderson's numbers stand out. He was the highest-ranking English player for ball carries last season and completed the most passes in the final third. The club views his all-action profile as an ideal fit for the post-Guardiola era.

Anderson will begin training after his break, with the 13 September derby as a potential debut in a rivalry he has already ignited.