Manchester City face eye-watering £100 million asking price for player Pep Guardiola admires | OneFootball

Officials at Manchester City will need to sanction a remarkable price tag in order to sign one of the Premier League’s most in-demand midfielders.

Pep Guardiola’s admiration for Elliot Anderson has already been well documented in recent months through media claims, with City scouts said to be repeatedly tracking the Nottingham Forest midfielder’s rapid rise for both club and country.

The 23-year-old has emerged as one of the standout talents in English football, and previous reports have already linked Manchester City with a potential £75 million move as part of their long-term midfield planning.

However, interest in Anderson is escalating across the Premier League and possibly further into Europe, and Forest’s stance is becoming increasingly firm. The midfielder’s profile has risen sharply since his move from Newcastle United, where financial pressures and Profit & Sustainability restrictions forced the Magpies into a difficult sale.

Having flourished as a central figure at the City Ground since that move, Elliot Anderson is now regarded as a future England mainstay, expected to make the squad for the next World Cup, and Forest are preparing accordingly.

According to the information of The Telegraph’s John Percy, Elliot Anderson is on course to become the next £100 million-plus English player with Nottingham Forest ready to adopt a tough stance on his future.

While Manchester City are not directly mentioned in the latest update, the report names Manchester United and Newcastle United are two clubs with strong interest although a sale in January will not be considered at the City Ground under any circumstances.

It is further detailed there are no clauses or stipulations in Anderson’s five-year contract, as well as no presence of either a buy-back or sell-on for Newcastle, while potential interest from Champions League clubs in Europe could see his price exceed £100 million after instalments.

For Manchester City, the situation could evolve depending on several internal factors as Rodri’s future continues to be questioned amid Real Madrid admiration, while Nico Gonzalez goes from strength to strength in Pep Guardiola’s system.

Should Manchester City firm up interest next year, Anderson would represent a long-term investment; a Premier League-proven midfielder capable of evolving into a central piece of Guardiola’s next-generation squad.

With top Champions League clubs reportedly watching Anderson’s progress, Forest could find themselves at the centre of a high-stakes bidding war that drives the eventual fee even higher. For City, the question is now whether Anderson’s talent, age profile, and Premier League pedigree justify breaking the £100 million barrier to secure one of England’s best midfielders.

If Pep Guardiola pushes for it, this could develop into one of next summer’s defining transfer narratives, and Hugo Viana and Manchester City will need to decide whether they are prepared to compete at the very top of that market.