[Saba Sports News] Exclusive news from renowned The Athletic journalist David Ornstein: Nottingham Forest have turned down Manchester City’s first official bid for England international Elliot Anderson, yet City’s pursuit of the midfielder is set to continue. Over recent years, three midfielders — Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández and Declan Rice — have all secured transfers valued in excess of £100 million. Back in July 2023, Arsenal sealed a £105 million overall deal with West Ham United for Rice, a record transfer fee for a Premier League midfielder that still stands to this day. Several industry insiders argue any credible guaranteed offer for Anderson from interested suitors will need to surpass that benchmark figure.
Per The Athletic, Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis and Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak crossed paths at a UEFA Champions League gala dinner hosted in Budapest last Thursday, an event attended by dozens of top-tier football executives across the sport. However, the pair did not hold any talks regarding Anderson’s prospective transfer during their meeting.
Manchester United previously tracked the 23-year-old midfielder, yet based on the club’s long-standing transfer stance, they are unwilling to match Forest’s asking price.
In my view, forest’s rejection of the opening offer does not kill off the deal; it marks the start of a classic transfer tug-of-war featuring inflated asking prices and low initial bids. Nottingham Forest can afford to hold out for a superior offer, while Manchester City possess both the financial means and motivation to negotiate. That said, the transfer is all but dead should City decline to substantially raise their next bid.