Elliot Anderson to Man City: Midfielder's record-breaking £116m transfer from Nottingham Forest announced

Elliot Anderson's record-breaking £116m transfer to Manchester City from Nottingham Forest has been announced.

The deal makes midfielder Anderson, 23, the most expensive British player ever, surpassing the £115m Real Madrid committed to paying for Jude Bellingham when they signed him from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2023.

Only Liverpool's £125m spend on Alexander Isak and £116.5m outlay on Florian Wirtz last summer were more expensive incoming transfers in Premier League history.

Anderson was given clearance by the England national team to complete his Manchester City medical on Sunday, in between World Cup games. He has started in all four matches for the Three Lions so far.

• Analysis: Why Elliot Anderson is worth £116m
• Man City's £824m rebuild topped by British-record Elliot Anderson move
• Where Elliot Anderson transfer stands in adjusted rankings

The midfielder chose Man City above Manchester United and the other interested clubs. Forest were happy to sell to either, but ultimately it came down to the player and he picked Man City.

His new club said in a statement: "Manchester City and Nottingham Forest have reached an agreement for the transfer of Elliot Anderson.

"Anderson, 23, is currently competing at the FIFA World Cup with England and has completed a medical in Kansas. The formalities of the move will be finalised upon his return to England.

"In the meantime, everyone at Manchester City wishes Elliot and the England squad the very best of luck in their World Cup campaign and we look forward to welcoming him to Manchester in due course."

Anderson featured in every Premier League game for Forest last season, making 37 starts, scoring four goals and recording four assists. He ranked among the top five in the league for tackles and passes, underlining his all-round ability.

Anderson is the first signing under new Man City boss Enzo Maresca, who was confirmed as Pep Guardiola's replacement earlier this week.

• Transfer Centre LIVE! | Latest Man City news and gossip
• Got Sky? Watch now on the Sky Sports app📱
• Not got Sky? Get instant access with no contract📺

Why Man City see Anderson as an ideal fit

Sky Sports News' Ben Ransom:

"Elliot Anderson will 100 per cent fit into Enzo Maresca's system. He would have fit into Pep Guardiola's and fit into any manager's system because he's so versatile. He can play as a single pivot. As we've seen at the World Cup, he can play alongside someone like Declan Rice.

"He can break the lines, press, win duels - he is an all-action midfielder. He can even score goals, as we saw against Man City last season. That versatility makes him a really important signing for Man City, particularly when you consider Bernardo Silva's exit this summer.

"There's still some speculation about Rodri's future. He said he'll sort it after the World Cup. He's got one year left on his contract as he goes into next season.

"There's no guarantee Rodri is going to sign an extension at this point, but Anderson is clearly a player who can play alongside or in place of Rodri - he's that talented. City fans will be really excited about reinvigorating that midfield when you look at some of the other players in that position.

"They haven't proved the ability to replace Rodri, whereas Anderson has a lot of his footballing future ahead of him and his stats have proved how good he is in a number of roles in the middle of the pitch."

Better than Rice and Rodri? Why Anderson is worth over £100m

The only thing that might divide opinion on Anderson this summer is his hefty price tag. The 23-year-old's profile as the perfect all-round midfielder is surely undisputed. So, how does he stack up against other midfielders in the same price bracket?

In short, Manchester City have signed the cream of the crop.

Beyond the eye test, which will tell you how efficiently he moves up and down the pitch and how composed he is in possession, his off-the-ball work is exemplary. Better than Declan Rice. More efficient, even, than present-day Rodri...

Read Laura Hunter's full feature here.

(c) Sky Sports 2026: Elliot Anderson to Man City: Midfielder's record-breaking £116m transfer from Nottingham Forest announced