Manchester City stance on Elliot Anderson revealed after opening bid rejection | OneFootball

Manchester City remain confident of signing Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson this summer despite seeing an opening bid rejected by the club.

Forest knocked back City’s initial approach for the 22-year-old, who the Midlands club value at around £100 million ahead of the summer window, though the Blues have not been deterred and intend to return with an improved offer for a player who has been their primary midfield target for the best part of a year.

Anderson has already been permitted by England manager Thomas Tuchel to undergo a City medical during the FIFA World Cup in North America, underlining how advanced the player’s own thinking on his future is even as the club-to-club negotiations remain at an early stage.

Report: City confident despite Forest’s £100M valuation

As reported by Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News, Manchester City remain confident of completing a deal for Elliot Anderson despite the opening bid rejection.

The Blues are expected to table an improved offer as they look to add a dynamic box-to-box midfielder to Enzo Maresca‘s squad ahead of the new season.

City launched their opening bid for Anderson earlier this week with Forest rejecting the approach swiftly, the Midlands club holding firm on a £100 million valuation for a player who has been one of the standout performers in the Premier League across the past two seasons and who personally favours a move to the Etihad Stadium.

What is the wider context for City’s pursuit?

Anderson has been City’s primary midfield target since the summer of 2024, with director of football Hugo Viana identifying the Newcastle-born midfielder as the ideal profile to fill the void left by Bernardo Silva‘s departure and provide Maresca with the kind of energetic, goal-contributing presence in the middle of the park that the incoming manager covets.

The Blues’ intention to return with a better bid reinforces a wide-held belief that Anderson remains their first-choice midfield target – and that City’s belief in getting a deal over the line has not been shaken by the initial rejection from the City Ground.

However, City are planning for all scenarios and have thereby identified Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali as a strong alternative should the Forest pursuit prove insurmountable amid the huge financial demands.