Man City want Elliot Anderson AND Sandro Tonali! Blues ready to spend ‘upwards of £200m’ in transfer raids on Nottingham Forest and Newcastle

Manchester City are not messing around in the transfer market as they look to refresh a squad that has seen significant change following the departure of Pep Guardiola. According to Manchester Evening News, the Blues have identified Anderson and Tonali as their primary targets to bolster the engine room, and the club views them as complementary additions rather than alternatives to one another.

While landing both players would be a massive statement of intent, it certainly won’t come cheap. The report suggests that bringing the pair to the Etihad would likely cost upwards of £200 million. With Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan having already departed last summer, Bernardo Silva officially moving on to Real Madrid, and ongoing uncertainty surrounding Tijjani Reijnders and Nico Gonzalez, City are ready to flex their financial muscle to ensure the transition remains seamless.

The pursuit of Anderson has already hit several roadblocks, with Forest proving to be tough negotiators. City have already seen a guaranteed £106m bid for midfield star rejected as the Tricky Trees are reportedly holding out for a fee that exceeds the £125m Liverpool paid for Alexander Isak, wanting to set a new British transfer record.

Despite the staggering valuation, there remains a strong belief within the Etihad that a deal for the 23-year-old can be struck. Anderson has seen his profile skyrocket since his move to the City Ground, and City officials are currently weighing up whether to return with a third offer that meets Forest’s eye-watering demands or to bide their time in the negotiation process.

While the Anderson saga continues, City are also actively working on a deal for Tonali. However, the Cityzens face stiff competition from Tottenham, who have already held productive talks with the midfielder's representatives. Spurs are reportedly keen to make Tonali their marquee signing of the summer under Roberto De Zerbi, but City's entry into the race has complicated matters. Any move for the former AC Milan man would require a significant financial package, but the Blues are not deterred as they look to future-proof their midfield against a potential exit for Rodri, who is entering the final year of his contract.

Away from the player recruitment drive, City fans are still waiting for the official announcement of Enzo Maresca as the club's new head coach. According to the same Manchester Evening News report, talks between City and Chelsea have taken far longer to resolve than expected, causing a slight delay in the formal handover. Despite the wait, there is no suggestion that the appointment is in any danger of falling through.

The club remains optimistic that an official announcement will come in the next week or two. City’s hierarchy is determined to avoid the kind of dramatic drop-off Manchester United experienced when Sir Alex Ferguson retired, and they believe Maresca is the right man to lead the charge to reclaim the Premier League title from Arsenal next season.