Manchester City hold major internal belief over Elliot Anderson signing amid Manchester United competition | OneFootball

Officials within Manchester City believe they have now won the race to sign Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, despite intense competition.

The Blues have been in active negotiations with Anderson’s representatives in recent weeks, with City keen to respect Nottingham Forest throughout the process as they look to finalise personal terms before stepping up club-to-club negotiations.

Anderson has been Manchester City’s primary midfield target for several months, with director of football Hugo Viana and Pep Guardiola understood to be huge admirers of the England international, who has established himself as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League since leaving Newcastle United for the City Ground in 2024.

Anderson is believed to have informed his professional circle that Manchester City were his preferred destination as far back as December 2025 as executives at the Etihad Stadium look to bolster Guardiola’s midfield ranks in the summer transfer window.

Report: City confident of £65 million Anderson deal

As reported by Mirror Sport’s Jeremy Cross, Manchester City believe they have won the race to sign Elliot Anderson, with club bosses confident of landing the midfielder for £65 million.

Anderson is pointed out to be a target for a host of clubs, including Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham – but it is Manchester City who are believed to be in pole position.

As for the Nottingham Forest man himself, Anderson is said to have let it be known that the Etihad Stadium is his preferred choice this summer, when the 23-year-old is expected to leave the City Ground irrespective of whether the club avoids relegation or not.

What is the context for Anderson’s potential move to City?

City’s need for midfield reinforcement this summer is well-documented. Club captain Bernardo Silva will leave as a free agent in June and Rodri‘s future in Manchester remains unresolved amid interest from Real Madrid, making the acquisition of a top-quality central midfielder one of the most pressing items on Viana’s summer agenda.

Anderson himself deflected questions on his future when asked about transfer speculation in the recent international break, insisting his focus was squarely on the FIFA World Cup this summer. However, it seems as if the midfielder has made his mind up over City.

City are also in the market for a new right-back this summer, with Anderson’s arrival – should it materialise – likely to represent the headline piece of business in what promises to be another significant window for the club under Viana’s stewardship.