Elliot Anderson is set to become the most expensive British player in history, with Manchester City agreeing a £116m deal to sign the Nottingham Forest midfielder — a fee that eclipses the £105m Arsenal paid for Declan Rice three years ago.

City confirmed the agreement on Thursday, with the transfer to be finalised once Anderson's involvement at the World Cup concludes. For Forest, it represents a record sale, surpassing the £55m they received for Anthony Elanga last summer.

Numbers that explain the price tag

At 23, Anderson will arrive at Etihad Stadium as the club's record signing, overtaking the £100m paid for Jack Grealish. Despite Forest finishing 16th in the Premier League last season, Anderson's statistics were extraordinary by any measure.

No player in the division recorded more touches than his 3,300 during the 2025–26 campaign. He led the league in duels won (298), possessions won (306), and fouls won (80) — numbers that paint the picture of a midfielder who is relentlessly involved at both ends of the pitch.

His passing numbers are equally compelling. Anderson completed more passes (2,038) than any other central midfielder in the Premier League and led the position with 376 line-breaking passes — consistently eliminating opponents rather than simply recycling possession.

Physically, Anderson covered 411km across the league season, second only to Everton's James Garner, while his 1,895 high-intensity pressures ranked second among midfielders. He started 37 of Forest's 38 league matches, missing only one due to squad rotation ahead of a Europa League semi-final against Aston Villa.

His attacking contribution rounded out an all-encompassing campaign: four goals, four assists, 54 chances created, nine big chances, and 4.8 expected assists — the highest chance creation numbers in the Forest squad.

What Anderson meant to Forest

Anderson joined Forest from Newcastle in 2024 for £35m and went on to make 94 appearances across all competitions, scoring six goals. He quickly earned the respect of staff and team-mates alike through his commitment and willingness to engage with coaches on how to improve both individually and collectively.

His departure will be felt deeply. The outpouring of support after his mother Helen passed away in April underlined the affection the club held for him. Forest are now looking to replace him with potentially two players — a deep-lying midfielder and a number eight.

Inter Milan's Davide Frattesi remains a target, although Juventus and Roma are also monitoring the Italy international. Tottenham Hotspur's Lucas Bergvall is another option, with the 20-year-old open to leaving Spurs after limited playing time.

Fitting into Enzo Maresca's City

Anderson will be Manchester City's first major signing of the post-Pep Guardiola era. Enzo Maresca has been confirmed as Guardiola's successor, leaving Chelsea — whom he guided to Club World Cup glory — at the start of the year after City reached a compensation agreement with the Blues.

At Chelsea, Maresca built his midfield around aggressive ball recovery and rapid forward play. Moises Caicedo provided the defensive anchor, winning possession 315 times and 318 duels, while Enzo Fernandez operated higher with 3,569 touches, 2,306 successful passes, and a team-leading 1,619 high-intensity pressures. Both players were heavily involved in line-breaking passes — Fernandez with 313 and Caicedo with 382 — an area where Anderson excels.

Anderson is expected to slot in as a replacement for Bernardo Silva, who had shifted into a more defensive role under Guardiola. He is also set to partner Rodri in central midfield, though the Spain captain's availability remains uncertain following reported surgery after the World Cup.

If Anderson can replicate even a fraction of his Forest performances in a City side built to dominate possession, the record fee may come to look entirely justified.