Manchester City have reached an agreement with Nottingham Forest to sign midfielder Elliot Anderson in a deal worth £116 million.
The transfer will make Anderson the most expensive British player in football history and also set a new Manchester City transfer record, surpassing the £100 million the club paid Aston Villa for Jack Grealish in 2021.
The agreed fee is a straight £116 million with no add-ons. It also ranks as the second-highest transfer fee ever paid by a Premier League club, behind Alexander Isak’s £125 million move from Newcastle United to Liverpool last summer.
According to reports, the 23-year-old has been given permission to undergo a medical in New York before completing the transfer. Anderson is currently with the England squad ahead of Saturday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup clash against Panama at MetLife Stadium.
The midfielder joined Nottingham Forest from Newcastle United in 2024 in a deal worth around £35 million, with goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos moving in the opposite direction for £20 million.
Forest are now set to make a profit of more than £100 million after just two seasons, following Anderson’s impressive performances for both club and country. He has started England’s opening two matches at the 2026 World Cup alongside Declan Rice in midfield.
Anderson is expected to join a Manchester City side undergoing major changes following Pep Guardiola’s departure. Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is set to take charge, while captain Bernardo Silva has completed a move to Real Madrid. There is also uncertainty surrounding the future of Rodri.
Nottingham Forest are already looking at potential replacements, with Tottenham Hotspur’s Lucas Bergvall and Inter Milan midfielder Davide Frattesi among the players being considered.
