David Ornstein has revealed that Nottingham Forest are asking for a British-record fee from Manchester City to sign Elliot Anderson, and Manchester United are set to suffer the knock-on effect this summer.
Anderson emerged as a top target for both City and Manchester United this season through standout performances for Nottingham Forest and England as he prepares to partner Declan Rice in central midfield for England at the World Cup under Thomas Tuchel.
United have already agreed a deal to sign Brazilian star Ederson from Atalanta to replace compatriot Casemiro at Old Trafford, but reports suggest the INEOS bosses want to land at least one more midfielder this summer as Uruguayan Manuel Ugarte is also set to depart the club.
Anderson is thought to be among their top targets, but the 23-year-old prefers a move to City, who have made a second ‘verbal offer’ to Forest for the England international’s services.
Ornstein has revealed ‘the bid is worth £106million with potential add-ons taking it in excess of £120m’, but The Athletic journalist reports that ‘Forest want the fixed fee to consider a sale of the England international to eclipse the £125m British record Liverpool paid Newcastle United for Alexander Isak last summer’.
Anderson has three years left on a contract he signed when he joined the club from Newcastle for £35m in the summer of 2023, in a deal which saw Odysseas Vlachodimos go in the other direction to value Anderson at just £15m.
That’s an extraordinary mark-up, and one that’s been dictated by the remarkable nine-figure sums paid to sign fellow midfielders Enzo Fernandez, Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo in recent years.
There’s no going back. Just as Forest will have cited those deals when coming up with their price tag of £125m for a player valued at £65m by Transfermarkt, other selling clubs will be desperate for City to pay up for Anderson so that they can engage in even more profitable whataboutery.
After confirming City’s bid for Anderson, journalist Ben Jacobs revealed that United have dropped out of the race for their ‘dream target’ as a result’, revealing their attention will now turn to three alternatives.
He wrote on X: ‘Manchester United view the cost as too high despite seeing Anderson as their dream target. They are in talks with Matheus Fernandes. Alex Scott and Carlos Baleba remains other names on their radar.’
Fabrizio Romano confirmed this week that West Ham have ‘fixed’ Fernandes’ price tag at £85m, while reports have suggested Bournemouth want anywhere between £80m and £100m for Liverpool target Scott. Transfermarkt values them both at £43m.
While there have been rumours that Brighton have dropped their price tag for Baleba to around £75m after they told United to pay £100m last summer, the Seagulls asking Tottenham for £70m for Jan Paul van Hecke with just a year left on his contract doesn’t suggest the famously tough negotiators are in a mood to soften their transfer stance this summer. Baleba’s valued at £47m.
In the past City have entered races for Rice and Caicedo they had no intention of winning to drive up the price for their rivals. Their intentions on this occasion are pure – they want Anderson – but once again they’ve raised the transfer stakes.
It’s Manchester United who will feel the pain this summer, after missing out on their ‘dream target’ and being forced into paying over the odds for whichever alternative they turn to.
