Why Man City are breaking the bank for Elliot Anderson in British record £116m deal

Elliot Anderson will become the most expensive British player in history when his £116 million move from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City is formally completed after the World Cup.

The deal shatters the £105 million Arsenal paid for Declan Rice three years ago and beats City's own record of £100 million for Jack Grealish. In a neat historical echo, Forest broke the British transfer record in 1979 when they paid Birmingham £1 million for Trevor Francis. This time, they are on the receiving end.

What makes Anderson worth the money?

The numbers from his 2025-26 campaign are extraordinary. No player in the Premier League recorded more touches than Anderson's 3,300. He also led the division for duels won (298), possessions won (306) and fouls won (80).

Among central midfielders, he completed more passes (2,038) than anyone else and led the position with 376 line-breaking passes. He covered 411km across the season and his 1,895 high-intensity pressures ranked second among midfielders.

Anderson started 37 of 38 league matches, only missing one when Forest rotated before a Europa League semi-final against Aston Villa. He also finished the season with four goals, four assists and 54 chances created.

Perhaps most impressive is the context. Forest went through four managers, finished 16th and spent much of the season playing transitional football rather than dominating possession. Anderson still topped multiple defensive and creative categories despite rarely being in a settled side.

How does he fit Maresca's system?

Anderson arrives as City's first major signing of the post-Guardiola era, with Enzo Maresca now officially confirmed as his replacement. He is expected to fill the void left by departed captain Bernardo Silva, who was shifted to a more defensive role by Guardiola in recent seasons.

Under Maresca at Chelsea, the midfield was built around aggressive ball recovery and winning possession high before playing forward quickly. Anderson's profile, combining elite ball-winning, relentless work rate and progressive passing, fits that blueprint.

He is expected to partner Rodri in midfield, but with the Spain captain reportedly set to undergo surgery after the World Cup, Anderson may initially be paired with someone else. City are understood to be interested in signing Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi.

What about Forest?

Anderson made 94 appearances for Forest after joining from Newcastle for £35 million in 2024. The outpouring of emotion after his mum Helen passed away in April showed how valued and respected he was at the City Ground.

Forest are now looking to fill his absence with potentially two players: a deep-lying midfielder and a number eight. Inter Milan's Davide Frattesi remains an option, while Tottenham's Lucas Bergvall is also high on their list, with the 20-year-old open to leaving Spurs after limited minutes.