Elliot Anderson leads Manchester City transfer shortlist after Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi acquisitions | OneFootball

A new report has detailed that Nottingham Forest and England star Elliot Anderson is on Manchester City’s shortlist for the summer transfer window.

Midfield has arguably been Manchester City’s most unsettled squad department this season, with Ballon d’Or winning star Rodri going through the motions of a transitional term following his return from a lengthy ACL lay-off.

Nico Gonzalez proved to be a capable deputy for Rodri in the first half of the season but the 24-year-old has struggled for fitness and minutes in 2026, with his compatriot and Manchester City’s first-choice holding midfielder getting more game time in the locker.

Rodri is gradually returning to his old self but Pep Guardiola has admitted that Manchester City are unlikely to witness the best of their 29-year-old midfield honcho until the 2026-27 season – which is driving club bosses to look at the summer transfer market with a desire to add greater cover for the club’s first-ever Ballon d’Or winner.

Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson has established himself as one of the best players in England after a breakthrough few seasons at the City Ground, with the best sides in the Premier League set to tussle for his signature at the end of the season.

With the Englishman’s current deal running till 2029, Forest will slap a significant asking price for one of their most prized assets and encourage a bidding war for Anderson, who is leading Manchester City’s midfield wishlist heading into the summer.

City added Gonzalez to their ranks in January 2025 and after the notable exits of Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan last summer, director of football Hugo Viana recruited Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki to strengthen Guardiola’s attacking midfield roster.

However, Anderson could be on the move in the summer and Manchester City could find themselves in a two-way battle with local rivals Manchester United for the Nottingham Forest star, with Mateo Kovacic also facing an uncertain future at the Etihad Stadium, as detailed by Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News.

Anderson would represent a very solid addition to a Manchester City midfield that has struggled for cover in recent seasons – and the demands of competing on all fronts could tempt executives at the Etihad Stadium to break the bank for the highly-rated Englishman.

The upcoming summer could see Anderson – alongside Arsenal’s Declan Rice – form the heart of England’s midfield under Thomas Tuchel at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Should Anderson internally express a desire to leave this summer, Forest will be desperate for their star midfielder to enjoy a successful campaign with the Three Lions to raise their asking price and bring in as much cash as possible to reinvest into their squad.

Guardiola is understood to be a big fan of Anderson, who has more than caught the eye in his recent performances against Manchester City enough to warrant transfer interest from bosses at the Etihad Stadium – as the Blues look to progress their squad rebuild under Viana and navigate a transitional period on and off the pitch.