Manchester City’s Elliot Anderson progress played down in new ‘update’ on England star

Suggestions of advanced progress for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson have been tempered.
City are exploring the possibility of signing two midfielders, with Sandro Tonali a target.
City enter Sunday’s Arsenal clash six points adrift of the Gunners but with a game in hand.

Suggestions that Manchester City have progressed towards signing Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson have been played down in a new update from regional media.

The 23-year-old midfielder has been a revelation at the City Ground, amassing a staggering amount of Premier League action and maintaining an elite standard of performance across competitions.

His outings for club and country have made him a primary target for several European heavyweights, but it was City who were recently touted as ‘frontrunners’ for a deal potentially worth upwards of £65 million.

The energetic England international caught the eye of Pep Guardiola directly last month, putting in a Man of the Match performance during Nottingham Forest’s 2-2 draw away at Manchester City.

But despite the intensity of reports, the club’s current focus is firmly on the immediate horizon and the ongoing Premier League title race with Arsenal, albeit alongside the contract situation of Rodri and confirmed summer departure of captain Bernardo Silva.

Bajkowski cools Anderson talk

Now, the Manchester Evening News’ Simon Bajkowski has been quizzed for an update on City’s interest in Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, amid claims elsewhere that those within the Etihad Stadium had ‘won the race’ to sign the England international.

“The update on Elliot Anderson is that there isn’t much to update on Elliot Anderson,” Bajkowski insisted, playing down earlier suggestions of significant progress surrounding interest in the player.

Looking further ahead towards the summer market, it is reported that “it is definitely a possibility that” Manchester City sign two midfielders this summer, with Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali cropping up.

Will Sandro Tonali join the Etihad revolution?

The mention of Sandro Tonali signals a potential shift in City’s approach, as they look to add ready-made Premier League experience to balance out their pursuit of younger prospects over the last few months.

Tonali, who has been instrumental for Newcastle United since joining the club, is likely to be seen as a player who could immediately step into the void left by Bernardo Silva this summer.

Newcastle’s own financial restraints following a disappointing European exit could force the Magpies to sanction a sale, with Manchester City expected to be willing to test their resolve with an offer below the Italian’s top-level valuation.

As the season enters its final month, the race for Elliot Anderson may yet reignite once the domestic honours are decided. For now, City fans must wait to see if the club’s recruitment team – bolstered by January arrivals Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi – will prioritise the Forest star.