Nottingham Forest’s transfer stance on Elliot Anderson confirmed amid Manchester City interest | OneFootball

Vitor Pereira has confirmed Nottingham Forest intend to retain Elliot Anderson this summer despite growing transfer interest from Manchester City.

Transfer links involving the England international midfielder have further intensified amid another stellar campaign from the former Newcastle United man, who has rapidly developed into one of the English top-flight’s finest orchestrators.

Fresh from securing Premier League survival into the 2026/27 campaign under manager Vitor Pereira, the East Midlands club now find themselves bracing for a busy summer window as elite clubs circle their prized asset.

Manchester City’s interest arrives at a time of supreme confidence at the Etihad Stadium in light of Pep Guardiola’s side clinching an impressive domestic cup double courtesy of their victory against Chelsea in the FA Cup Final at Wembley.

Sporting director Hugo Viana is heavily rumoured to be scanning the market for elite midfield depth to reinforce the squad ahead of next season, particularly amid Bernardo Silva’s confirmed departure at the end of his current contract this summer.

Elliot Anderson’s future? Pereira: “The market is the market”

Speaking to reporters after Nottingham Forest’s narrow 3-2 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon, manager Vitor Pereira was quizzed on whether he fears losing star midfielder Elliot Anderson to one of the division’s heavyweight clubs.

“I don’t have the answers,” Pereira admitted. “The market is the market and everything can happen. What I can say to you is that the club wants to keep him playing for us, for sure.”

He continued, “The club wants to keep almost all the players because this is a very good group with quality and character and we have a very good base for next season.”

Discussing Anderson further and the Englishman’s staggering abilities, Vitor Pereira said, “He has the talent to be one of the top, top of the top. Every time he can score more goals, he can take a little bit more risk in the last third because he has a very good shot.

“It depends on the system because if we play in the system where we give him total freedom to build play and to appear, I think he can do everything, but in our system, we are playing with two midfielders.

“He needs to understand when the other ones loses the position that he cannot lose the position. But he has a lot of talent, for sure. He’s young and he will fly with big wings.”

Thomas Tuchel’s plans and a £100 million+ price tag

Elliot Anderson’s performance during Sunday’s five-goal thriller at Old Trafford served as a further reminder of exactly why the biggest clubs in England will no doubt be circling for his signature when the summer transfer window reopens.

Whilst acting as an energetic and orchestrating powerhouse centrally, Anderson also directly provided the assists for both Morato and Morgan Gibbs-White. And while Manchester City currently sit in pole position for his signature, Forest’s valuation north of £100 million will demand a significant financial compromise.

The 23-year-old’s immediate future extends far beyond club logistics, with England manager Thomas Tuchel likely to be viewing the midfielder as a crucial element of his plans for the upcoming 2026 World Cup in North America.

And whether Elliot Anderson boards the plane to the United States as a Nottingham Forest player or as Manchester City’s marquee summer signing remains a premier question of the approaching transfer window.