England manager Thomas Tuchel has given a clear endorsement of Elliot Anderson as Manchester City and Manchester United prepare transfer bids for the midfielder. Tuchel used the eve of the World Cup to underline Anderson’s rise and described the 23-year-old in the sternest terms.

Anderson made his England debut in September 2025 and completed a season in which he played every single game for a struggling Forest side. He finished the campaign with the most touches (3,300), duels won (297), fouls won (80) and possessions won (306) in the division, figures that have pushed him into the spotlight.

The midfielder has formed a strong dynamic alongside Declan Rice for the national team and is set to play a major role for his country in North America. England starts its World Cup campaign against familiar foes Croatia next Wednesday.

City and United both want to sign Anderson this summer. It would take a British record fee for Forest to part with him; the player could cost as much as £120 million ($161 million). City have reportedly submitted a bid worth the aforementioned £120 million ($161 million), which includes £15 million ($20 million) in performance-related add-ons. Forest are demanding more money up front, with owner Evangelos Marinakis digging his heels in.

Tuchel declined to dwell on Anderson’s future but made clear his admiration. “He’s a top player,” Tuchel said after England ’s warm-up victory over Costa Rica. “There’s nothing more to say, he’s the full package.

The German also warned of the personal pressures that can follow a big move. “Even if a transfer is completed, hopefully, he stays the same person. Nothing will change overnight with him if he wakes up, he’s not a new player.” He added: “People will try to hang around his neck this price but, in reality, nothing changes, he just changes the club and that’s the rules of the game,” Tuchel added. “Hopefully he just stays the same—a humble, determined, hungry football player.”

Meanwhile, City have also been linked with Sandro Tonali as they consider options amid the likely departure of Bernardo Silva to Real Madrid.

Manchester City have tabled a proposal for Elliot Anderson that begins with $141.7 million (£106 million) guaranteed and can rise, with conditional add-ons, to more than $160.4 million (£120 million). Fabrizio Romano and David Ornstein both reported the offer on Wednesday. City see Anderson as a player whose all-round qualities would strengthen their squad beyond the Pep Guardiola era, while Manchester United also remain interested.

Nottingham Forest have not accepted the bid and are thought to be seeking higher guaranteed funds. Ornstein points to the 2025 transfer of Alexander Isak from Newcastle United to Liverpool as a precedent: that move reportedly involved $167.1 million guaranteed, plus negligible add-ons. Forest appear to believe Anderson is worth at least that level. Eclipsing the Isak fee would set a new Premier League record for guaranteed money.

Players are only worth what another team is willing to pay for them. Clearly, Manchester City are already very close to matching Nottingham Forest’s valuation of Anderson and don’t consider $160 million too much, with the breakdown of guaranteed money and add-ons the main sticking point.

Forest are in a robust negotiating position. Anderson is 23, under contract for three more years and not facing imminent free agency. His recent form, including influential displays against both Manchester clubs, and his perceived high ceiling strengthen Forest’s case. From their perspective, the choice is straightforward: accept a figure that would be transformative for the squad or retain a young player who can continue to develop for at least another season.

Comparisons to other high-value Premier League transfers help explain Forest’s demands. Declan Rice’s move to Arsenal and transfers such as Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo are cited as part of the market context, while Isak provides the most direct precedent for guaranteed money.

What seems extraordinary today may look different in a few years. Anderson, who turns 24 in November, could remain at his next club for a decade, which is part of why clubs are prepared to consider such sizeable fees.

Manchester City submitted an opening offer for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson that was understood to have been rejected, leaving them still engaged in talks while Manchester United reassess their position. Forest are using Arsenal’s $137.5 million (£105 million) acquisition of Declan Rice in 2023 as a reference point, and interested parties have been warned they may need to eclipse that figure for Anderson.

United are known admirers of Anderson and are ready to spend big this summer in pursuit of midfield reinforcements, but there is a belief inside Old Trafford that meeting Forest’s demands over the 23-year-old will ultimately prove poor value for money. United’s hesitance over Anderson is not down to concerns over his ability, but simply the cost of the deal and whether spending so much money on one player is the right course of action at this point in the club’s journey.

Replacing Casemiro in midfield is a priority, yet United are thought to want two new midfielders, a left back and a striker as they prepare for a return to the Champions League. That requirement means transfer resources will be spread across several positions and helps explain why Anderson has become a less certain target for them.

City remain in negotiations after the failed opening bid, while United have started to explore alternatives. The club’s search for value is visible in the impending acquisition of Atalanta midfielder Éderson for around $47 million, a move that still leaves room to pursue a higher-tier option alongside him.

Other names under consideration include Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, both expected to command significant fees but not believed likely to match Forest’s asking price for Anderson. West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes carries a $107.5 million price tag, and the Hammers’ relegation from the Premier League has prompted speculation he might be available for less.

For now, Manchester City’s ongoing contact with Forest and United’s wider squad plans leave City with an edge in the race for Elliot Anderson.