Manchester City poised to step up summer transfer interest in Nottingham Forest star | OneFootball

Hugo Viana and Manchester City are reportedly poised to step up transfer interest in Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson.

The England international has been a common feature in recent Manchester City transfer rumours, but also at the centre of attention among other members of the Premier League’s upper echelons.

Over the last 12 months, City have shown a keen desire to bring the average age of their squad down as part of a wide-ranging rebuild of first-team options, spearheaded by the likes of Antoine Semenyo, Marc Guehi, and Rayan Cherki in particular.

And the mid-season signings of the former two names also highlighted a fresh desire to recruit from within the English top-flight, ensuring that new faces joining the squad do not require any adaptation phase within the domestic game.

What is the latest on Man City’s interest in Elliot Anderson?

Now, according to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Manchester City are primed to step up transfer interest in Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson – who is seen as a potential successor for Rodri.

City are said to believe that Anderson favours a move to the Etihad Stadium over Manchester United, while those at the City Ground value the 23-year-old at more than double the £35 million they paid Newcastle United to sign him in 2024.

The Rodri Factor: Will Real Madrid trigger a midfield domino effect?

However, it is pointed out that any move for Anderson is likely to depend on whether Rodri remains at the club beyond this season, with Real Madrid tracking the former Ballon d’Or winner’s situation and his contract expiring in June 2027.

The Spanish international has long been tipped as a serious Bernabeu transfer target, although his serious knee injury sustained during the 2024/25 season largely put any such talk on hold until he regained full fitness.

And while City remain monitoring the midfield star’s ability to return to his remarkable performance levels showcased in the 2022/23 season in particular, it appears as though he has done enough to convince some in Spain that a big-money deal is worth executing.

Etihad Showcase: How Anderson’s 2-2 equaliser stunned Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola and Manchester City were ‘treated’ to an in-person showing of Elliot Anderson’s remarkable capabilities in midfield in Wednesday night’s dramatic 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium.

Having taken the lead through Antoine Semenyo in the first-half, Morgan Gibbs-White dragged his side back into the game in the second-half with a back-heeled equaliser travelling beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma and into the back of the net through Ruben Dias’ legs.

Despite Rodri regaining Manchester City’s lead with a headed effort from a set-piece, it was Elliot Anderson who struck from long-range to secure a much-needed point for Forest, and move the Premier League title chasers further adrift of leaders Arsenal.

Anderson’s performance at the Etihad Stadium – recording a 92% pass completion rate under pressure and covering 12.4km – further proved he can certainly handle the physical ‘duels’ that often left Manchester City exposed during the 2024/25 slump.

Is Elliot Anderson worth a big-money investment?

Given the cost of English players operating at the very highest levels of the professional game, and particularly those with age on their side, any investment in Elliot Anderson could see Manchester City outlaying a fee north of £80 million.

That fee could rise even further should Anderson put in a strong showing at the summer’s FIFA World Cup, and his current employers will be keen to use that as a tool to bring a bidding war to the table among the globe’s biggest sides.

But for Manchester City, this is likely to be an investment worth every penny. The summer is likely to bring about another important juncture for a number of experienced but ageing players, particularly club captain Bernardo Silva.

Alongside the Portugal international, Mateo Kovacic is also likely to see his place reviewed amid a string of injury problems, while John Stones and Nathan Ake could yet leave the club, leaving plenty of space for new additions, fresh legs, and particularly midfield impetus.