It has been revealed that Anderson is set to choose a transfer to Manchester City! Manchester United still has a way to outbid them, and with enough money, they could surpass Guardiola’s side.

Manchester United’s attempt to bring in a new midfielder faces a significant setback, with their top target Elliott Anderson showing preference for Manchester City after gaining their interest. This decision is understandable given that in recent years, the “Sky Blues” have clearly outperformed Manchester United in many aspects.

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United dreams of signing Anderson, Adam Wharton, and Carlos Baleba, but it is clearly impossible to complete all three in a single transfer window. The Red Devils plan to pursue these targets gradually over one, two, or even three transfer windows. Among them, 23-year-old England international Anderson is regarded as the player they admire most. Nottingham Forest will not accept offers in the January window, making Anderson their top target for next summer’s transfer period.

However, Manchester City has entered the race, with Guardiola looking to recruit replacements for Bernardo Silva and Rodri— the former likely to leave and the latter suffering from prolonged injuries. Both Guardiola and sporting director Hugo Viana highly value Anderson and intend to fight for his signing.

Sky Sports UK reports that Anderson was previously willing to join Manchester United, but after Manchester City’s involvement, he has leaned more towards City than United. Notably, on social media, besides his past and current clubs, Anderson follows Manchester City’s official account along with many of their players.

Sky Sports’ Sasha Tavolieri explained: “Manchester City are fond of Anderson, the Nottingham Forest midfielder who has impressed Viana and City scouts. They have observed the England international more than 10 times since the start of the season. Seen as a future pillar for England, Anderson has informed his team that he will prioritize a move to Manchester City.”

Nevertheless, Manchester United still have a chance to outbid Manchester City, but it would require spending big. Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis’s asking price is far above City’s current valuation. City hopes to complete the deal for under £80 million, while Forest demands over £100 million, a price City has made clear they will not pay.

Data shows Manchester United have had the highest net transfer spending in the Premier League over the past five years, with a net investment of £678.97 million in players. Net investment means the amount spent on buying players minus the income from player sales. The Red Devils have recorded negative net income for the past five seasons. Their net spending was £153.48 million in 2025/26, £111.83 million in 2024/25, £127.27 million in 2023/24, £190.24 million in 2022/23, and £96.06 million in 2021/22.

Arsenal ranks second with a net spend of £672 million, Chelsea third with £646.52 million, Tottenham fourth with £564.66 million, Newcastle fifth with £436.64 million, and Liverpool sixth with £426.77 million. Manchester City ranks seventh with a net spend of £344.72 million, which is almost half of Manchester United’s.

If Amolin can lead the team to qualify for next season’s Champions League, and Manchester United are willing to pay Nottingham Forest £100 million and offer Anderson a lucrative contract, they might be able to beat Manchester City to his signature. However, whether this strategy is worthwhile is a decision for Sir Jim Ratcliffe to make. The Red Devils once used a similar approach to secure Sanchez, which unexpectedly became a trigger for collapse.

In any case, Anderson will remain at Nottingham Forest until January next year, and his departure is only likely after the 2026 World Cup. Therefore, Manchester United still have time to seriously consider a big purchase. The club also has other midfield options at lower prices, such as Wolves’ João Gomes and Atlético Madrid’s Conor Gallagher, both priced around £40 million. Rumors suggest that if Wolves are relegated, Gomes’s price could drop to £30 million.