Man City reportedly agree terms with Forest for Elliot Anderson — What makes him so special?

Elliot Anderson is headed for a third Premier League club pending personal terms, as David Ornstein says Manchester City have agreed terms with Nottingham Forest. Anderson, 23, has "been given permission to travel for a medical with the deal subject to the finalizing personal terms," and the England midfielder is with his nation at the 2026 World Cup in the United States. MORE — World Cup top goal scorers: Race for the Golden Boot Forest was said to have asked for a fee larger than Alexander Isak's record $165 million move from Newcastle to Liverpool, while Ornstein previously reported that City had been rebuffed on a $158 million bid. It's a massive profit for Forest, who was only able to acquire Anderson for $46 million in 2023 because Newcastle needed to sell a homegrown player for Financial Fair Play reasons. What makes Elliot Anderson so special? Anderson was reliable, playing all 38 matches for Forest, and that helped him become one of just seven players to complete more than 2000 open play passes last season. He ranks sixth in completed final third passes and a clue to Man City's hopes could be that departing Bernardo Silva was one of the only players above him last season. Defensively he was fourth in tackles and his 306 possessions won were nearly 100 more than the second-highest ranking Premier League player (Andre). He also got stuck into and won the most ground duels in the division. If it isn't clear from the above, a 23-year-old England midfielder is already a complete midfielder and a borderline finished product who may still evolve new tools. It's no wonder his fee is going to be so big, because the numbers say this could be a next-level Declan Rice. Stats via Opta .