Man Utd 8-5 Man City in transfer battles ahead of Elliot Anderson fight | OneFootball

Manchester United and Manchester City are fierce rivals on the pitch, and they’ve also had a lot of battles in the transfer market.

Both sides are looking to bolster their midfield options this summer and have identified Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson as a top target.

We’ve taken a look at some of their previous transfer battles and who came out on top.

Dimitar Berbatov: Man Utd

Having just been taken over by Sheikh Mansour and the Abu Dhabi United Group, City attempted to hijack United’s move for Berbatov on transfer deadline day in the summer of 2008.

Tottenham accepted a then-British transfer-record offer from City, but the striker had his heart set on a move to Old Trafford and joined United in a £30.75million deal.

“I don’t think it was that close, to be honest,” Berbatov said. “My agent told me about some interest but I said, ‘Don’t even bother mentioning anyone else, I’m going to Man United,’ because of the history, the players, the tradition, everything.

“I think it was the night before City signed Robinho from Real Madrid and my agent said, ‘Berba, there’s another team in for you’. I said, ‘F*ck off, we’re going to Man United’. He said, ‘But they’ll give you more money!’

“It’s not all about the money sometimes, though. I was like a horse with blinkers. For me it was the right decision because going to the top of the mountain was my dream, especially when you come from Eastern Europe, from a small town, and no one’s done it before you. It was a great feeling.”

The former Bulgaria international netted 58 goals in 149 appearances in a four-year stint at Old Trafford, winning two Premier League titles, a League Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. Some player.

Carlos Tevez: Man City

Berbatov’s move to United wasn’t great news for Tevez, who was pushed down the pecking order in the 2008-09 season.

United still agreed to pay £25.5million to turn his two-year loan deal into a permanent move, but he rejected their contract offer.

The former Argentina international then crossed the Manchester divide to join City, who cheekily unveiled the infamous ‘Welcome to Manchester’ billboard.

His four-year stint at the Etihad wasn’t without controversy, but he captained the club to FA Cup success in 2010-11 and also played a key role in their Premier League title win in the following season.

Sergio Aguero: Man City

Aguero netted 20 LaLiga goals for Atletico Madrid in 2010-11, and his performances attracted interest from City, United, Juventus and Real Madrid.

But City were the only team willing to pay the £38million asking price, with Sir Alex Ferguson later admitting that United were priced out of a deal.

That proved costly when the striker netted an injury-time winner against QPR to snatch the Premier League title away from the Red Devils on the final day of the 2011-12 season.

He won another four Premier League titles at the Etihad and is their all-time record goalscorer, having netted 260 goals in 390 appearances in all competitions.

Ashley Young: Man Utd

United fought off competition from both City and Liverpool to sign Young from Aston Villa in a £17million deal in the summer of 2011.

“My agent called me and said: ‘Listen, you’re going into the last year of your contract, there are a few teams that are in for you,’” Young revealed.

“He said Liverpool. We’d already spoken to [Manchester] City. Then he said United had come in. And I said: ‘When am I meeting Sir Alex? Where’s the pen?’ There was no other place I wanted to go.

“The history of the club, the players that were here, what they’d achieved. For me, that was the place I wanted to be. I wanted to go there and put my marker down on this club and play for the biggest club, for me, in the world. As soon as my agent said that… we didn’t even meet Liverpool!”

He spent eight-and-a-half years at Old Trafford and made 261 appearances for the club, winning a Premier League title, FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League.

Samir Nasri: Man City

Nasri entered the final year of his Arsenal contract in the summer of 2011, and both Manchester clubs showed significant interest in the France international.

“At first, my choice was United,” he said. “I met Sir Alex Ferguson in Paris; we talked and I was really interested in his project. With my agents, Jean-Pierre Bernes and Alain Migliaccio, we had to decide.

“They told me, ‘You can go there, but you’ll just be one among many. City, on the other hand, won the FA Cup last year, they have a solid project, people behind them want to do something serious, it’s the team of tomorrow, so think about it.’ And I thought they were right.”

He completed a £24million move to City and won the Premier League title in his debut season before picking up another winners’ medal in 2013-14.

Robin van Persie: Man Utd

A year after Nasri’s move, Van Persie became the second Arsenal player to be at the centre of a transfer battle between United and City.

Despite being offered a reported £300,000-per-week deal by City, the striker completed a £24million move to United and said he had listened to “the little boy inside him” when making his decision.

He led United to their 20th Premier League title by hitting 26 league goals in his debut campaign at Old Trafford, but his form dipped following Ferguson’s retirement.

Eric Bailly: Man Utd

Bailly became Jose Mourinho’s first signing at United after the manager convinced him to pick Old Trafford over the Etihad.

“In the summer of 2016 there were many rumours,” Bailly said. “I was in Ivory Coast, in the dining room at home with my mother when the phone rang. It was a Portuguese number; Mourinho.

“He told me to come with him, that he liked me since he saw me with Espanyol and Villarreal. Manchester City were also interested, but if Mourinho calls you, you can’t say no.”

The centre-back impressed in his debut season as United won the Europa League and the League Cup, but his time at Old Trafford was ultimately plagued by injury problems.

Alexis Sanchez: Man Utd

Having played under Pep Guardiola at Barcelona, Sanchez looked set to leave Arsenal and reunite with the manager at City in January 2018.

But following a phone call with Mourinho, where the Special One promised him the No. 7 jersey, he ultimately picked United over City. The £350,000-per-week contract may have also played a part.

He scored just five goals in 45 appearances for United and is widely regarded as one of the worst signings in the club’s history.

Fred: Man Utd

City wanted to sign Fred following his impressive performances against them in the Champions League in 2017-18, but he moved to United in a £52million deal.

“Yes, I was obviously very happy with the interest of some of the best managers in the world,” Fred said. “Guardiola is a great manager, but I chose to join another great manager, Mourinho, at United.

“It was a contest between two great managers and I could only be delighted with that. It was very important for me, as it would have been for any player. It was something that made me really happy.”

He made just 12 appearances under Mourinho but did become a key player for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and also won the League Cup with Erik ten Hag in 2022-23.

Harry Maguire: Man Utd

After starring for England at the 2018 World Cup, Maguire attracted interest from United and City before joining the former a year later in an £80million deal.

“I spoke to City and I spoke to United but I grew up watching more of United – no disrespect to City – but I grew up watching more of United football, Old Trafford, being one of the biggest teams in the world,” Maguire admitted.

“I always had my heart set on this club. I spoke to Pep and obviously the football they play and what he’s done for the club. I have great respect for Pep and what he’s brought to football.

“But it was United – my heart was set from the amount of interest they showed in me. For them to pursue it over 12-15 months. It just shows how much they believed in me and how much I’d be part of the team.”

The centre-back has endured a turbulent spell at Old Trafford but is now an ever-present under Michael Carrick, and he has made over 250 appearances for the club.

Cristiano Ronaldo: Man Utd

Ronaldo enjoyed a trophy-laden six-year spell at United between 2003 and 2009, but risked tainting his legendary status at Old Trafford with a move to City in 2021.

Ferguson and Rio Ferdinand both called the Portugal international to talk him out of joining City, and he completed a stunning return to Old Trafford.

He scored 27 goals in 54 appearances in his second spell at the club, but it came to a bitter end when his contract was mutually terminated in November 2022.

Kalvin Phillips: Man City

City signed Phillips from Leeds United in a £45million deal in the summer of 2022 after the midfielder refused to consider a move to Old Trafford.

“No, there was never any chance of me going there,” he said. “You know my loyalty to Leeds, my family as well, they’re all Leeds fans.

“I was honoured by United wanting me, such a big team – one of the biggest teams in the world. But no, I had to stay loyal to Leeds and choose to go to the other side of Manchester.”

The 30-year-old has failed to cement his place in Guardiola’s team, making just 32 appearances for the club in all competitions.

Antoine Semenyo: Man City

Semenyo was one of the standout players in the Premier League throughout 2025, and he emerged as a target for both United and City.

Despite speaking to the then-United manager Ruben Amorim, he identified City as his ideal destination and they triggered the £65million release clause in his Bournemouth contract in January 2026.

The winger has made a strong start to his City career, winning the League Cup and also netting the only goal in the FA Cup final.