Manchester City are reportedly having second thoughts about pursuing a move for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson this summer. Forest have rejected an offer from City for the England international, who is currently with the Three Lions in North America for this summer’s World Cup.
Reports have stated that City’s initial bid of £106million, which also included £15m in potential add-ons, was firmly rejected by Forest. Had the transfer gone through, the total package would have surpassed the £105m Arsenal paid out to West Ham for Declan Rice back in 2023.
However, reports now suggest City are contemplating whether to pull out of the running for Anderson altogether following Forest’s refusal to accept their offer.
According to The Mirror, City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubara has no desire to engage for a bidding war over Anderson, maintaining that their £120m proposal represented a fair valuation of the player.
Consequently, it has emerged that City are now weighing up whether to withdraw their pursuit of Anderson entirely this summer, though no definitive conclusion has yet been reached.
From Forest’s perspective, it has been claimed that the Reds are looking for an initial fee closer to what City’s overall package was offering, rather than accepting a lower figure with add-ons included.
The 23-year-old’s future remains firmly up in the air, with the midfielder currently in the United States with the England squad as they prepare for this summer’s World Cup in North America.
Manchester United have also registered their interest in Anderson as they too look to reinforce their midfield options ahead of next season.
However, it has been reported that the Red Devils are prepared to explore alternative targets as they gear up for their return to Champions League football next season.
United have already struck a deal to bring in Atalanta midfielder Ederson to bolster their options in the centre of the park, with an initial fee of £35m plus £3.8m in potential add-ons.
The £120m asking price put forward by City is considered beyond United’s reach, with Anderson also reported to favour a switch to the Etihad Stadium rather than a move to Old Trafford.
Anderson could make his first appearance at the World Cup for England when the Three Lions take on Croatia in their opening Group L clash on Wednesday night in Dallas.
That fixture will be followed by encounters against Ghana in Foxborough, before attention turns to Panama, with the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey set to provide the backdrop.
Be the first to comment