Anderson - what will Forest lose and Man City gain?

[Getty Images]Transfer fees often reflect potential as much as proven quality. In Elliot Anderson's case, Manchester City appear to believe they have bought both.

>At 23, Anderson will arrive at Etihad Stadium as their record signing - beating the £100m City paid for Jack Grealish - having enjoyed a remarkable campaign for Nottingham Forest in which he quietly established himself as one of the Premier League's most complete central midfielders.

>While Forest finished 16th, Anderson's influence on their performances was extraordinary.

>No player in the Premier League recorded more touches than Anderson's 3,300 during the 2025-26 campaign.

>He also led the division for duels won (298), possessions won (306) and fouls won (80), underlining just how frequently he involved himself at both ends of the pitch.

>Those numbers paint the picture of a midfielder who is constantly in the game. He demands possession, regains it more often than anyone else and rarely allows the intensity of his performance to drop.

>His quality on the ball is equally striking. Among Premier League central midfielders, Anderson completed more passes (2,038) than anyone else and also led the position with 376 line-breaking passes.

>Rather than simply recycling possession, he consistently looked to eliminate opponents by playing through defensive lines and advancing Forest up the pitch. That blend of security and ambition is rare.

>The physical data is every bit as impressive. Anderson covered 411km across the Premier League season, second only to Everton's James Garner, while his 1,895 high-intensity pressures ranked second among midfielders.

>Hit play below to hear Forest podcaster Max Hayes speaking to BBC Radio Manchester's Mark Crossley and Emily Brobyn about Anderson's move to Etihad Stadium, or listen on BBC Sounds here

>Read more on Anderson's qualities