Man City set to beat Man Utd to £65m Elliot Anderson transfer as Nottingham Forest star makes preference clear

According to The Mirror, City bosses have made Anderson one of their primary targets and are growing increasingly confident of landing him in a £65 million deal. Pep Guardiola’s side have identified the 23-year-old as a priority addition to their midfield engine room. While local rivals United, Chelsea and Tottenham have all registered an interest, the club are poised to win the race. He has let it be known that the Etihad Stadium is his preferred choice, and he is expected to leave Forest irrespective of whether the club avoid relegation or not.

The player's journey to the top has been remarkable since his initial loan spell at Bristol Rovers in 2022. Having progressed through the academy at St James' Park, he formally joined Forest in July 2024, in a transfer worth £35m. He quickly established himself as a vital cog in their setup, amassing 41 appearances across all competitions this season. With two goals and three assists to his name, including 10 outings in the Europa League, his durability and tactical intelligence have made him a standout performer on both the domestic and European stage.

United had originally viewed the talented midfielder as their ideal midfield target to lead a recruitment drive under interim manager Michael Carrick, who is being tipped to be handed the job on a permanent basis. With Brazilian veteran Casemiro departing Old Trafford at the end of the season, the Red Devils are desperate for fresh legs to bolster their options. Despite their strong interest and a clear desire from the hierarchy to avoid the protracted transfer sagas of recent years, they now face losing out to their neighbours. The player's preference for the Etihad comes as a massive blow to the recruitment team based at Carrington.

City are eager to wrap up a transfer for Anderson before he leaves for the World Cup. The 23-year-old is expected to make Thomas Tuchel's squad for the upcoming tournament, having been left out of the squad for just one game since his debut against Andorra last June. He has started six of the seven games in which he has featured for the Three Lions, missing the recent clash against Uruguay as Tuchel opted to field vastly different teams for both international friendlies.