Manchester City moves for Elliot Anderson with an offer above £120 million
Manchester City have taken the lead in the race for Elliot Anderson, midfielder of Nottingham Forest and the England national team. With a proposal exceeding £120 million in total value, the Citizens left rivals United behind in the negotiations – and are now strong favourites to close the deal this European summer.
City advance, United watch
Talks between City and Forest have progressed significantly in recent weeks. Anderson, 23, is in the United States playing the FIFA World Cup 2026 with England, but that has not slowed the progress of the dealings between the clubs. The offer presented by Pep Guardiola’s side is concrete. Manchester United, so far, have not even come close to an equivalent proposal.
The young holding midfielder arrived at Forest in 2024 from Newcastle for around £35 million and quickly established himself as one of the most dynamic pieces of the English midfield. His ability to press, carry and distribute the ball made him a coveted target.
Atlético work on a heavyweight reinforcement
On the other side of Europe, Atlético de Madrid are working on two ambitious deals in parallel. Lee Kang-In, South Korean playmaker of Paris Saint-Germain, is close to agreeing personal terms with the Spanish club. The 23-year-old has never managed to establish himself as a starter in Paris since arriving from Mallorca in 2023, and has a contract with PSG until June 2028 – which makes the negotiation more complex, but not unfeasible.
At the same time, left-back Alejandro Grimaldo, of Bayer Leverkusen, already has a verbal agreement underway with the Colchoneros. The Spaniard was one of the highlights of Leverkusen’s historic campaign last season and represents exactly the attacking profile that Diego Simeone seeks to refresh the squad. If both signings materialise, Atlético enter the next Champions League with a considerably renewed midfield.
A busy market, decisions that shape seasons
What stands out in this window is the simultaneous movement of giants in search of specific pieces. City do not want to improvise in midfield. Atlético want pace and creativity. These are concrete needs being answered with heavy investments – and the World Cup in the USA, far from paralysing the market, seems to have accelerated the behind-the-scenes negotiations.
Anderson, Kang-In and Grimaldo. Three names, three different stories, but one common denominator: all are expected to change address before the start of the next European season.
