Anderson gets Man City move he craved as £116m deal done

Anderson’s transfer to Manchester City has been finalised for a club‑record £116 million, beating the £100 million paid for Jack Grealish in 2021 and seeing off interest from Manchester United. The England international joined Nottingham Forest from Newcastle United in 2024 for £35 million and quickly became a pivotal figure as the club finished seventh in the Premier League, securing European qualification for the first time in three decades. During the 2023‑24 campaign Anderson helped Forest reach the Europa League semi‑finals and topped the Premier League charts for touches and duels won. His performances earned him a regular place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad, where he featured in every match at the World Cup. Negotiations over his future continued throughout the tournament, with an agreement between Forest and City reached on the eve of England’s Group L fixture against Panama. Anderson will now join a City side overseen by Enzo Maresca, the former Chelsea head coach who arrived in June after Pep Guardiola stepped down following a decade in charge. Hugo Viana, City’s football director, praised the signing, describing Anderson as “one of the outstanding young midfield talents in the world”. Viana added, “He offers energy, outstanding work rate and an exceptional range of passing. His improvement in recent years has been truly awesome and underlines his tendency to be the best player he can be.” He concluded, “At just 23, there is plenty of scope for improvement over the coming years and we feel he can become a complete midfielder.”