Manchester City are in pole position to sign Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson this summer, Sky Sports News understands.
City are one of a number of big clubs wanting to sign him, including Manchester United and Arsenal, and leading sources believe he is destined for the Etihad.
The 23-year-old England international has attracted the attention of many of their Premier League rivals since joining Forest from Newcastle United in July 2024 for a fee of £35m.
Elliott Anderson is expected to play a key role in England’s midfield at this summer’s World Cup
It remains to be seen whether a deal can be agreed around the World Cup, when Anderson is expected to play a key role in England’s squad with Thomas Tuchel.
Anderson’s contract at the City Ground runs until June 2029, and his value is expected to be significant as he is part of a group of elite central midfielders set to hit the market in the next period, including Sandro Tonali, Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleva and potentially Aurelian Tchoameni.
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Clinton Morrison told the Premier League Show why he thinks there will be more interest in Nottingham Forest and England midfielder Elliott Anderson than Manchester City.
City have praised Anderson’s development since joining Forest from Newcastle, and relations between the two clubs are thought to be good.
There could be changes to City’s midfield this summer, with the departures of Mateo Kovacic and Nico Gonzalez uncertain, while it has already been confirmed that Bernardo Silva will leave the club when his contract expires in June.
Real Madrid are also interested in Rodri, but City want him to stay and sign a new contract, with his existing contract expiring in 2027.
City looking to strengthen attacking line-up this summer
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Take a look at some of the best goals scored by Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Crupi.
The club are also looking at other positions, including forwards, and Sky Sports News could reveal two more names on the shortlist for new signings, RB Leipzig winger Yann Diomande and Bournemouth striker Eli Junior Crupi.
Diomande is one of the hottest talent on the market this summer, with his name high on the lists of Liverpool and Bayern Munich, among others.
Crupi is an excellent young prospect who has impressed since joining Bournemouth last summer, scoring 11 goals in 29 Premier League appearances.
However, City are currently well-stocked up front, with Sabinho supporting Jeremy Doku on the left wing and Omar Marmouche acting as Erling Haaland’s backup centre-forward.
Right-back is also an area City are keeping an eye on, with Sky Sports News reporting that they are already tracking the development of young Feyenoord defender Zivairo Reid.
Analysis: Anderson or Rodri? why not both?
Laura Hunter on Sky Sports:
With Man City looking to fend off competition from across the Premier League to sign the Nottingham Forest midfielder this summer, it would be a natural temptation to draw direct comparisons between Elliott Anderson and Rodri. But it is equally interesting to admire their compatibility.
Of course there are some similarities. Both are midfielder profiles that anchor the flanks. They run hard and are good at breaking up plays. However, their functions are clearly different due to the different teams they play.
Anderson is needed as a tough tackler, and is the third most prolific player in this category in the division, but Rodri is much more passive in this area, given that Man City spend the majority of their time in possession. Anderson also has a league-high 270 duels won, more than twice as many as the Spaniard (106).
However, Rodri excels at developing under pressure, has an incredibly high possession rate, and few players in Europe can match his ability to recycle possession and break into the third. But since injuring his ACL last season, he has become much less inclined to run the ball, which is something Anderson excels at. High availability is another strength of the 23-year-old, who is six years Rodri’s junior.
So there is certainly a world in which a partnership between Rodri and Anderson could be beneficial for City if used together or alternately. Of course, Anderson will need to be protected from the fate of other high-profile midfielders who went to the Etihad with high hopes but failed. Calvin Phillips is the best example.
But take Matheus Nunez as another example of a midfielder who had to change roles to full-back to avoid falling out of manager Josep Guardiola’s plans. He is a demanding man to work with and this is not a role he wants to interfere in.
