"He's the full package." Thomas Tuchel doesn't do empty compliments, which makes his words on Elliot Anderson — delivered on the eve of a World Cup — worth taking seriously.
The England manager has watched Anderson closely enough to know what he's getting. Two seasons at Nottingham Forest that ended with the 23-year-old topping the entire Premier League in touches (3,300), duels won (297), fouls won (80), and possessions won (306). Those aren't flashy numbers. They're the numbers of a midfielder who runs the game without you always noticing it.
Now the two biggest clubs in Manchester want him. And at least one of them is putting real money where their interest is.
Man City's opening bid and the Forest standoff
City have reportedly submitted an offer worth up to £120 million ($161 million), though £15 million of that comes in performance-related add-ons. Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis isn't impressed — he wants more guaranteed cash on the table. A British record fee, and still a negotiation.
United are in the picture too, but this looks like City's race to lose. Their midfield situation is messy enough to explain the urgency: Bernardo Silva appears headed to Real Madrid, Nico González — signed only in January 2025 — could already be leaving, and Tijjani Reijnders' future is uncertain. Rodri staying would help, but that hinges on a contract extension that isn't done yet. Enzo Maresca is walking into a rebuild whether he wants one or not.
Sandro Tonali is also on City's shortlist. Anderson, though, is the priority target — and the profile is completely different. Tonali is a stylist. Anderson is a workhorse who also happens to be good on the ball. For a team that may lose its two most technically gifted central midfielders in the same window, the latter arguably fits the gap better.
Anderson's World Cup moment — and what comes after
Before any of that gets resolved, Anderson has a World Cup to play. He's formed a genuine partnership with Declan Rice in the England setup, and Tuchel is clearly building his midfield around both of them. England opens against Croatia next Wednesday.
Tuchel did offer one subtle note of caution amid the praise. "Even if a transfer is completed, hopefully he stays the same person. People will try to hang around his neck this price but, in reality, nothing changes — he just changes the club."
It's the kind of thing a manager says when he's quietly worried. A £120 million tag has derailed players before. Anderson's value to England — and to whichever club eventually signs him — depends entirely on him remaining the relentless, unglamorous force he's been at Forest. The price makes that harder to sustain, psychologically if nothing else.
Forest, for their part, are in no rush. Marinakis knows the leverage he holds, and he's using it.
