Manchester City have reached an agreement to complete the signing of midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest in a deal worth £116million ($153m).Anderson, 23, will sign a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium which, if all bonuses are realised, will be worth in the region of £300,000 per week. The deal also includes the option to extend by a further 12 months.The fixed fee is the most ever paid for a British player and is a new club record for City, eclipsing the £100m they paid Aston Villa for Jack Grealish in 2021.Anderson has started all three of England’s matches at the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. As The Athletic previously reported, he underwent his City medical at England’s base in Kansas City following Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Panama.The Athletic reported on June 10 that City made a verbal offer of £106m ($140m) up front for Anderson by Forest following an opening offer which was rejected earlier in the month.Anderson joined Forest in the summer of 2023 from Newcastle United, who reluctantly sanctioned his exit in order to comply with the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR). In a corresponding but separate move, Odysseas Vlachodimos joined Newcastle from Forest.He made 50 appearances in all competitions during the 2025-26 season, playing a key role as Forest avoided Premier League relegation and reached the semi-finals of the Europa League.Anderson earned his first senior England cap in September and has since been a regular in Thomas Tuchel’s team. He has made 11 international appearances.The Athletic reported on June 21 that Forest had identified 20-year-old Tottenham Hotspur Lucas Bergvall as a potential replacement for Anderson. City, meanwhile, are still interested in a move for Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali.Why has Anderson been so sought after?Analysis by data and tactics writer Anantaajith RaghuramanAnderson is emblematic of the modern Premier League midfielder.He can progress play in multiple ways. His 2.8 take-ons per 90 ranked second among Premier League central and defensive midfielders (minimum 1,000 minutes) behind Tijjani Reijnders. Only three managed more passes into the opposition half than his 8.3 per 90.Anderson took 14 per cent of Forest’s total Premier League touches in 2025-26, a higher share than any other player. The volume did not overwhelm him. He was press-resistant, often picked the right pass and was a threat in the final third, recording four goals and four assists.Out of possession, Anderson offers tenacity and athleticism. He can push ahead and meet man-marking demands but also track back at pace to protect his defence. He blocked 1.4 opposition passes per 90, knowing when to pounce to cut out moves.‘The greatest piece of transfer business in Forest history’Analysis by senior writer Daniel TaylorIt is, quite simply, the greatest piece of transfer business in the history of Nottingham Forest.This is the club that bought a young Roy Keane from Irish club Cobh Ramblers for £47,000 and later sold him to Manchester United in a British record transfer of £3.75m.Even so, just consider the background of Anderson’s £116m move to Manchester City.Here is a player who was first spotted by Forest while he was on loan from Newcastle, aged 19, at Bristol Rovers, then of League Two.Anderson’s first break in professional football came on loan at Bristol Rovers (Harry Trump/Getty Images)He was valued at a mere £15m when Forest somehow conjured up a transfer package with Newcastle United that took the club’s third-choice goalkeeper, Odysseas Vlachodimos, to St James’ Park with a valuation of around £20m (an incredible deal on its own).And now, two seasons on, Anderson has gone for a profit of more than £100m.He will go with the best wishes of everyone at the City Ground after playing superbly in Forest’s colours and, at the same time, establishing himself as a regular England international.The profit, meanwhile, should help Forest in their pursuit of Bergvall from Spurs, having targeted him as the player they want to take Anderson’s place in midfield. Other signings will inevitably follow.It will be difficult, of course, to replace a player of Anderson’s gifts. If Forest use the money wisely, however, the team can end up stronger for it. The whole club can be, in fact.Jul 2, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms