Manchester City preparing mammoth £75 million for “excellent” England international loved by Pep Guardiola

Wales' Kieffer Moore in action with England's Elliot Anderson. (Reuters/Peter Cziborra)

Manchester City’s 2025/26 season may not have been perfect, but Pep Guardiola’s side look to be finding their groove again after a summer of heavy changes.

New recruit Tijjani Reijnders has quickly brought balance and creativity to midfield, while Erling Haaland remains unstoppable up front.

With Gianluigi Donnarumma now anchoring the defence with authority, City, fifth in the Premier League table, appear to be back on track — though Guardiola’s rebuild still isn’t complete.

And it seems the Spaniard knows exactly who it is who wants to bring to the Etihad next.

According to a new report from The Express, Manchester City are preparing a £75 million bid for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson — but they’re set to face stiff competition from Chelsea.

Guardiola is said to have been tracking the 22-year-old for months and is a huge admirer of the England international, who he’s previously referred to as a “top player.” Anderson’s energy, vision, and ball-carrying ability have reportedly made him one of City’s top midfield targets ahead of next summer.

With Nico González struggling for consistent minutes and Rodri’s long-term future uncertain amid interest from Real Madrid, City could move decisively for Anderson as they look to refresh their midfield options.

Anderson, who joined Forest from Newcastle United in 2024 for around £35 million, has been one of the Premier League’s standout performers this season. His impressive form earned him a senior England debut under Thomas Tuchel, who later described him as “excellent.”

Having already made three international appearances — and winning Man of the Match in two of them — Anderson is now considered one of the brightest young English talents in the league.

Whether City can tempt Forest into selling their prized asset remains to be seen, but Guardiola’s admiration suggests a big-money move could be on the horizon.

Barnaby Lane is a highly experienced sports writer who has written for The Times, FourFourTwo Magazine, Sports Illustrated, TalkSPORT, and Business Insider.

Over the years, he's had the pleasure of interviewing some of the biggest names in world sport, including Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Christian Pulisic, and more.