Manchester City have had their first offer for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson turned down, with the transfer saga now officially underway.
According to a report from David Ornstein of The Athletic, City have made a formal opening bid for the 23-year-old England international, which Forest quickly dismissed.
Nottingham Forest are under no financial pressure to sell cheaply and will hold out for the best possible return on their prized asset this summer.
The benchmark for elite Premier League midfielders has risen dramatically in recent years, with Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, and Declan Rice all commanding fees in excess of £100 million.
The £105 million total package Arsenal paid West Ham for Declan Rice in July 2023 is seen by some industry insiders as the baseline any club must beat to secure Anderson.
There are suggestions that groundwork for potential negotiations may already have begun at the highest levels of club ownership.
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis and City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak were both present at UEFA’s Champions League dinner in Budapest last Thursday, where numerous senior football figures gathered.
However, reports indicate there is no suggestion the two executives actively negotiated a deal for Anderson during their time at the dinner.
Any move for Anderson would come during a massive period of transition at the Etihad Stadium following the departure of Pep Guardiola after a legendary tenure.
City are also managing the exits of experienced dressing-room leaders John Stones and Bernardo Silva, making Anderson’s potential arrival even more significant for the club’s rebuild.
Manchester United have also maintained a long-standing interest in Anderson, and City’s early move appears designed in part to shut down that competition quickly.
Transfer insider Romano reported last week that City are pushing hard for Anderson precisely because they are aware of United’s persistent interest, with Romano noting United are “calling and calling” for the midfielder.
Romano said on his YouTube channel: “Don’t forget that Manchester City also keep pushing to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest.”
He added: “They are aware of Manchester United still calling and calling, but Manchester City are still pushing.”
Romano also noted: “I told you in March that they have always been favourites to sign Elliot Anderson. They made up their mind on it.”
He continued: “They have already made some approaches because they want to offer a really important contract to the player.”
Romano further stated: “So, Man City believe they can really tempt Elliot Anderson, and then this has not changed, also with Enzo Maresca, City are going for Anderson.”
He concluded: “It’s not only with Guardiola. Now with Maresca, City are still going for him. Let’s see what happens with Nottingham Forest, with Man Utd still trying and calling.”
With both Manchester clubs circling, Nottingham Forest find themselves holding one of the most coveted transfer cards in European football this summer.
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