Anderson's statistics make 'incredible reading'

[Getty Images] Four years since helping Bristol Rovers win promotion from League Two, Elliot Anderson faces what could be a defining summer. Anderson is expected to be one of England's key players at the World Cup, and his stellar performances for Nottingham Forest have led to such significant transfer interest that he is likely to become the most expensive British footballer ever. The 23-year-old has quickly become a key man for national team boss Thomas Tuchel - winning eight caps this season, just three years after being called up by Scotland. He is expected to start alongside Declan Rice in the heart of midfield when they begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia on 17 June (kick-off 21:00 BST). As he prepares for that, his club future remains uncertain. Forest have already turned down a significant bid from Manchester City for Anderson, as owner Evangelos Marinakis holds out for a reported £110m. He scored a superb equaliser to salvage an unlikely point at Etihad Stadium in March, and the Blues have long admired the player. They firmed up their interest last week with an opening bid and sources say they are expected to make another. Anderson tops the club's list of midfield targets following the departure of captain Bernardo Silva , and such has been his rise that they will not be swayed from paying a fee that could become a record for a British player. Anderson's eye-catching performances earned him a team of the season spot in BBC Sport's first end-of-season football awards - and his statistics make for incredible reading. Among all top-flight players, Anderson managed to: Have the most touches of the ball (3,300). Win the most duels (297). Win the most fouls (80). Win possession the most times overall (306) as well as in the middle third (154) and defensive third of the pitch (127). Among central midfielders, he also made the most line-breaking passes (376), completed the most overall passes (2,038) and made the most dribbles (95). He became the first player since Declan Rice in 2019-20 to win possession more than 300 times in a Premier League season. Out of possession he worked hard too, his 1,895 high-intensity pressures were the most applied by a central midfielder. So, to some, his success is no surprise. Read the full article here