Man City and Nottingham Forest ‘very close’ to full Elliot Anderson agreement, confirms Fabrizio Romano | OneFootball

Manchester City’s pursuit of Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson has reached the very final stages, with the two clubs continuing to negotiate behind the scenes to resolve the remaining details on a deal, as per a new report.

Anderson has been identified as City’s primary midfield target this summer as the club plan for life beyond club captain Bernardo Silva, who departed the Etihad Stadium at the end of his contract.

City have seen two bids for the 23-year-old turned down by Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, with the City Ground club’s Greek owner holding firm on an upfront £110 million payment for a player who has established himself as one of the most dynamic midfielders in the Premier League.

Manchester United had also registered interest in Anderson, though the player is understood to have communicated a preference to move to the Etihad Stadium should a deal be concluded this summer. United have since exited the race, with City having a clear run.

Romano: Very final stages as clubs work through remaining details

According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Anderson’s move to Manchester City is now in the ‘very final stages’, with both clubs continuing to negotiate behind the scenes to unlock pending details required to complete the transfer.

England manager Thomas Tuchel has also confirmed he will allow squad members at the FIFA World Cup to undergo medicals in line with camp regulations – a stance that directly clears the path for Anderson to complete the necessary formalities whilst on international duty in North America.

What does Romano’s update mean for City’s summer rebuild?

Anderson would represent the centrepiece of director of football Hugo Viana‘s first summer window at the Etihad Stadium, with City embarking on a significant rebuild under incoming manager Enzo Maresca.

The 23-year-old offers the kind of box-to-box energy and technical quality in midfield that Maresca’s system demands, with his ability to arrive late into goalscoring positions from a central role a particularly valuable attribute for a club seeking to replace Silva’s creative output from the middle of the park.

Whether the final details are concluded before or during England’s World Cup campaign remains to be seen, but Romano’s update suggests the finish line is now firmly in sight for a deal that City have been pursuing since the start of the summer window.