Manchester City are about to make history with a British record transfer – but this time it's not just about the cash. The Etihad Stadium outfit have agreed to pay a staggering £116m for Elliot Anderson, a figure that eclipses the £125m Liverpool shelled out for Alexander Isak last summer. That benchmark was set by Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis and it looks like City's £116m bid has been enough to seal the deal.
Anderson's England camp will be buzzing with news of his impending transfer as he undergoes a medical in the next 24 hours at the World Cup. Sources close to the player suggest he had his heart set on joining City, despite reported interest from local rivals Manchester United – and it seems his wish has finally been granted.
The 23-year-old midfielder's form for Forest since arriving from Newcastle two seasons ago has been nothing short of phenomenal. He played a crucial role in their seventh-place finish in the Premier League and helped them reach the Europa League semi-finals. That kind of consistency has earned him 11 caps for England, with Thomas Tuchel continuing to rely on him at the World Cup.
Nottingham Forest are likely to be keen to replace Anderson's creativity in midfield, with Tottenham's Lucas Bergvall reportedly under consideration as a replacement. The Sweden international is said to be eager to move and discussions have already taken place over a proposed £45m transfer – but other clubs may also be sniffing around.
Anderson's rapid rise from loan spells at Bristol Rovers in League Two to becoming one of the most sought-after midfielders in England has been nothing short of remarkable. His final appearance for Forest against Newcastle ended with him scoring a crucial goal, a moment manager Eddie Howe admitted was "very, very painful" but ultimately unavoidable due to financial regulations that also involved Odysseas Vlachodimos moving the other way.