Manchester City's Second £120m Bid for Elliot Anderson Rejected by Nottingham Forest in Premier League 2026

Manchester City's £120 million offer for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson was turned down for a second time.

City's latest offer rejected Manchester City’s second £120m bid for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson has been declined. The Citizens proposed an initial £106m plus performance-based additions. If successful, this transfer would surpass the £105m Arsenal paid West Ham for Declan Rice in 2023, setting a new record for an English player. City’s opening bid was also dismissed by Forest earlier this month. ## Anderson’s preferred destination Elliot Anderson has made his preference clear, favoring a move to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium over Manchester United. Personal contract terms are not a barrier to the deal. United have effectively withdrawn from the race, as they were unwilling to engage in a bidding war and only pursue players who are eager to join them. City have long been admirers of Anderson, who trained at Newcastle’s academy. ## World Cup preparations and performances Elliot Anderson is currently focused on preparing for the World Cup hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. While England’s squad trains for the tournament, club-to-club negotiations between Forest and City can still progress. Anderson featured prominently in England’s 3-0 victory over Costa Rica on Wednesday, the final friendly before their opening match against Croatia on 17 June. ## Forest’s season and Anderson’s role Last season, Elliot Anderson was a standout performer for Nottingham Forest as they secured a Europa League semi-final spot and avoided relegation from the Premier League despite changing managers four times. He joined Forest from Newcastle in 2024 for a £35m fee and has since made 92 appearances, finding the net six times. Bernardo Silva’s departure from City at the end of his contract has left them seeking midfield reinforcements, with Anderson emerging as their top target. ## Other transfer targets for City Manchester City are also monitoring Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali as another potential long-term signing. Reports indicate that the Italy international has been scouted by City’s hierarchy. Alongside Anderson and Tonali, Manchester City continue to assess options to strengthen their midfield ahead of the new campaign.