Manchester City confirms their biggest signing and most expensive British player ever

Elliot Anderson officially joins Manchester City from Nottingham Forest.
Text: Javier Escribano
Published 2026-07-02

Manchester City has officially confirmed the signing of Elliot Anderson, 23-year-old midfielder from Nottingham Forest, for £116m, €134.4m, a number that sets a new transfer record for Manchester City, and one of the most expensive signings in Premier League history.

Manchester City buying Elliot Anderson for the next five years means it's the club's biggest expense for a player, taking the record of £100M for Jack Grealish. In the Premier League, the only two signings more expensive were those made last year by Liverpool: Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen at £116.5M, and Alexander Isak from Newcastle at £125M.

He also surpasses the £115m Real Madrid paid for Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund in 2023, making him the most expensive English player ever.

Nottingham Forest finished 16th in the Premier League, and reportedly rejected two previous offers from Manchester City, raising the price for the midfielder as England's run in the World Cup continues. Anderson made 37 starts and participated in every Premier League match for Forest, scoring four goals and four assists, and ranking in the top five in the league for tackles and passes.

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