Nottingham Forest have turned down Manchester City’s opening bid for midfielder Elliot Anderson, with the transfer saga now officially underway.
According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, City made a formal opening offer for the 23-year-old England international, which Forest promptly rejected.
The City Ground club are under no pressure to sell on the cheap and will demand the highest possible fee if Anderson departs this summer.
The benchmark for elite Premier League midfielders has risen dramatically in recent transfer windows, with Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, and Declan Rice all commanding fees exceeding £100 million.
The £105 million total package Arsenal paid West Ham for Declan Rice in July 2023 is viewed by some industry insiders as the baseline any suitor must beat in guaranteed figures.
Groundwork for potential negotiations may have already been laid at the highest levels of both clubs’ leadership structures.
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis and City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak were both present at UEFA’s Champions League dinner in Budapest last Thursday, rubbing shoulders with numerous senior football figures.
The report adds, however, that there is no suggestion the two executives actively negotiated an Anderson deal during the event.
City’s pursuit of Anderson comes during a period of significant transition at the Etihad, following Pep Guardiola’s departure after a legendary tenure and the exits of John Stones and Bernardo Silva.
New manager Enzo Maresca has not cooled the club’s interest, with transfer insider Fabrizio Romano confirming City remain firmly in the race for Anderson’s signature.
Romano revealed on his YouTube channel that City are fully aware of Manchester United’s persistent pursuit, describing United as “calling and calling” for the Forest midfielder.
Romano said: “Don’t forget that Manchester City also keep pushing to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest.”
He continued: “They are aware of Manchester United still calling and calling, but Manchester City are still pushing.”
Romano also stated: “I told you in March that they have always been favourites to sign Elliot Anderson.”
He added: “They made up their mind on it. They have already made some approaches because they want to offer a really important contract to the player.”
Romano further noted: “So, Man City believe they can really tempt Elliot Anderson, and then this has not changed, also with Enzo Maresca, City are going for Anderson.”
City’s desire to move quickly appears partly motivated by a determination to shut Manchester United out of the running before negotiations develop further.
Anderson is among the most coveted midfielders in England heading into the summer window, with both Manchester clubs desperate to secure his services.
Forest will likely hold out for a substantial fee, knowing the market for top-tier Premier League midfielders continues to set new records.
How the situation develops between all three clubs over the coming weeks promises to be one of the defining transfer stories of the summer.
