Nottingham Forest demand £125m up front for Elliot Anderson after rejecting £106m plus add-ons

Nottingham Forest are demanding a record fee in excess of £125 million from Manchester City to sanction the sale of midfielder Elliot Anderson this summer.

According to The Athletic, Man City have already submitted a verbal offer worth £106m up front, with add-ons potentially taking the package beyond £120m.

However, Forest are standing firm and want a guaranteed fee to surpass the £125m Liverpool paid Newcastle United for Alexander Isak last summer.

City had a bid rejected earlier in the window. The League Cup and FA Cup winners are keen on the 23-year-old after an impressive campaign at the City Ground.

Manchester United are also known admirers, but they have no intention of entering a bidding war at those figures and are instead pursuing alternative midfield targets.

Anderson enjoyed another excellent season in 2025/26, bagging four goals and four assists in 38 Premier League matches.

The former Newcastle United academy graduate has also established himself in the England set-up, earning a place in their World Cup squad.

Forest’s demands are excessive

Forest are understandably reluctant to lose one of the most influential players in Vitor Pereira’s squad.

He is young, homegrown, under contract for another three years and still improving rapidly.

However, a valuation north of £125m feels completely detached from reality.

Anderson is a superb footballer. His energy, progressive passing, ball-carrying ability and tactical intelligence make him one of the Premier League’s standout midfielders.

There is every chance he develops into a genuine world-class talent over the next few years.

But there is a huge difference between being an outstanding player and being worth £125m-plus.

Forest have every right to set a sky-high asking price. Whether anybody should actually pay it is another matter entirely. At £125m, City would be paying quite an unnecessary premium.