Manchester City's pursuit of Elliot Anderson has taken on a new dimension. The Nottingham Forest midfielder is no longer just a promising Premier League talent; he is now building a case for himself on the World Cup stage, and that could make every appearance in the United States more expensive for the Blues.
City need to reshape their midfield under incoming boss Enzo Maresca, a task made more urgent by Bernardo Silva's departure and the ongoing scrutiny of Rodri's future from Spain. Anderson, at 23, fits the profile of a rebuild: the right age, the right intensity, and the right style of play. He also fits the kind of player whose price can escalate quickly when an international tournament amplifies the spotlight.
The real shift isn't that City like Anderson — that has been clear for weeks. The change is that his performances for England are now giving Forest more leverage in a market already short of complete midfielders.
Writing after the Croatia game, Jonathan Liew of The Guardian highlighted Anderson's running power, pressing, wide rotations, and ability to play early into dangerous areas. The same report noted that City are circling a player for whom a nine-figure move now looks increasingly plausible.
Anderson's value is now being argued on two fronts. Forest can point to his club form and contract position. England adds the harder-to-price element: proof that his energy and decision-making hold up under tournament pressure. If he continues to start or influences games from a defined tactical role, Forest's resistance becomes easier to justify.
This is not a speculative punt. Anderson is Premier League-tested and has shown enough tactical range to operate as a No 6, No 8, or hybrid shuttler.
Sky Sports reported last week that City remain in talks with Forest for a deal expected to cost more than £100m, with one bid already rejected. The same update said City are also weighing up Sandro Tonali, underlining the scale of the midfield rebuild Maresca faces.
Anderson and Tonali are not identical targets. Tonali would bring more control and experience in a deeper role. Anderson is more vertical, more athletic, more disruptive, and potentially more adaptable across different match states.
City have spent years building midfields around control. The next version may need control plus legs. A Maresca side will still demand structure and passing angles, but the Premier League has shifted toward high-speed midfield contests. Anderson's appeal is that he can help City win those contests without sacrificing too much technical quality.
There is another layer too. Rodri's workload and long-term security remain part of every City midfield conversation, especially while he continues his World Cup campaign with Spain. Anderson would not replace Rodri's exact profile, but he could reduce the number of games where City need one player to provide all the physical authority and progression.
The obvious risk is fee inflation. If City wait and Anderson keeps rising with England, Forest can hold firmer. If City move too aggressively, they risk paying a British-record-style premium for a player still early in his elite-level development.
This has become a test of City's conviction as much as their spending power. They have enough evidence to believe Anderson fits. What they must decide is whether the World Cup is confirming their scouting work or distorting the market around it.
City's best argument is that Anderson's value is not based on a single tournament moment. His Forest rise, England trust, and tactical range all point in the same direction. But the longer that direction is visible to everyone else, the harder it becomes to land him on City's terms.
For Maresca, Anderson would be a statement signing. For Forest, he is the kind of asset who can define a summer. For City, this is the kind of deal that reveals whether their post-Guardiola rebuild will be patient, ruthless, or both.