Enzo Maresca stance on improved Manchester City bid for Elliot Anderson revealed | OneFootball

Manchester City are expected to return with a second bid for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson in the coming days, with Forest targeting in excess of £105 million for a player described as central to incoming manager Enzo Maresca’s plans.

City had an opening bid rejected by Forest last week, with the Midlands club holding firm on a valuation significantly above City’s initial offer for the 23-year-old England international.

The Blues have remained confident throughout, with Fabrizio Romano confirming City will try to close a deal as soon as possible and Anderson having received permission to undergo a Manchester City medical during the FIFA World Cup with Thomas Tuchel‘s permission.

The pursuit has grown more complex with Manchester United having emerged as a hijack threat, with the Old Trafford club understood to be optimistic about beating City to the signing of the former Newcastle United midfielder.

Report: City to return with improved Anderson bid

As per Mail Sport’s Tom Collomosse, Manchester City are expected to submit a second offer for Anderson in the coming days, with Nottingham Forest targeting in excess of £105 million and ideally looking to bank up to £110 million for the midfielder.

Anderson is described as key to Enzo Maresca‘s plans at the Etihad Stadium ahead of the 2026-27 season. Forest have been using the £105 million Arsenal paid West Ham for Declan Rice in 2023 as a benchmark in negotiations, with City’s opening offer having fallen well short of that threshold.

The gap between the two clubs’ valuations remains substantial, though City’s intention to return with an improved bid signals their determination to get the deal done before the window progresses further.

What is the wider context for City’s pursuit?

Anderson has been City’s primary midfield target for the best part of a year, with director of football Hugo Viana identifying the box-to-box midfielder as the ideal profile to fill the void left by Bernardo Silva‘s departure and provide Maresca with a dynamic presence at the heart of his midfield.

Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United has been identified as an alternative should the Forest pursuit prove insurmountable, though the incoming manager’s clear desire for Anderson means City will push hard to get a deal over the line before entertaining other options in that position.