Manchester City has completed the signing of Elliot Anderson on a five-year deal, marking a club record transfer fee of £116 million. Anderson, 23, joins from Nottingham Forest, where he became an integral part of the team that secured a seventh-place Premier League finish and a return to European competition for the first time in 30 years.
Last season, Anderson played a key role in Forest's run to the Europa League semi-finals. He led the Premier League in touches and duels won and was a consistent presence for England, featuring in all of the team's World Cup matches. His transfer fee surpasses the £100 million Manchester City paid for Jack Grealish in 2021 and fended off competition from Manchester United.
Discussions regarding Anderson's future were ongoing during the World Cup, with an agreement between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City reached shortly before England's Group L match against Panama. Anderson will play under new City head coach Enzo Maresca, who took over in June after Pep Guardiola's decade-long tenure concluded.
"They're winners, they're relentless, and that's the sort of team I want to be a part of - champions and people who win trophies," Anderson stated. "Over the last 10, 12 years, they've dominated, so that's why I wanted to join."
Moses 1270313996 City's director of football, Hugo Viana, described Anderson as "one of the outstanding young midfield talents in the world." He added, "He offers energy, outstanding work rate and an exceptional range of passing. His improvement in recent years has been really impressive and underlines his desire to be the best player he can be. At just 23, there is plenty of opportunity for development over the coming years and we feel he can become a complete midfielder."