Inside the Elliot Anderson transfer and why Manchester City wanted him | OneFootball

Manchester City have completed the £116m signing of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest, a club-record deal after protracted talks. According to NY Times, he took his medical with English FA staff in Kansas City while on World Cup duty.

Talks began after chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak spoke with Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis at a UEFA dinner before the Champions League final. Marinakis sought £126m, £106m plus £20m in easy bonuses, while City pushed for Champions League-winning add-ons, which Forest rejected. At one point Marinakis considered lower bids elsewhere.

With negotiations stalling, CEO Ferran Soriano stepped in and agreed a guaranteed £116m, the deal sealed by Marinakis, Soriano and agent David Manasseh. Its payment structure will save Forest millions in financing costs. Anderson was briefly the most expensive British player until Chelsea paid £117m for Morgan Rogers on Tuesday.

Manchester United enquired and even floated the idea of a future captaincy, but decided the fee was too high. Anderson has signed a five-year contract to 2031 with an option for a further 12 months. If bonuses are met, the package is around £300,000 per week, an unusually high starting wage at City, though Marc Guehi is believed to be similar.

City wanted him for his physicality, homegrown status and Premier League and European experience. They believe he can partner or cover Rodri and restore dynamism after last season, with Bernardo Silva gone and Rodri set for back surgery with no return date yet, so Anderson looks set for a pivotal role.

Source: NY Times