'Kings of Manchester' - Anderson sends Man Utd message after City move sealed

Elliot Anderson's £116m move to Man City from Nottingham Forest confirmed; Anderson, who had been a Man Utd target, declared his new side the "kings of Manchester"; first Manchester derby of the new season is at Old Trafford on September 13, live on Sky Sports

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>Elliot Anderson has declared Manchester City the "kings of Manchester" after completing his £116m move from Nottingham Forest.

>The England midfielder has signed a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium with the option of a further 12 months.

>The deal was agreed earlier this month but finalised this week following the player's return from the World Cup after helping the Three Lions to a third-place finish.

>Anderson said he was "over the moon" to be signing for "one of the biggest clubs in the world" and has his sights firmly set on winning trophies.

>"I can't wait to play for this club," the 23-year-old said. "It's a club built to win trophies and compete at the very top of the game. That is exciting for any footballer.

>"I think they're winners, they're relentless, and that's the sort of team I want to be a part of. Over the last 10, 12 years, they've dominated, so that's why I wanted to join."

>The midfielder is already relishing the prospect of playing in the Manchester derby, with City due to face arch-rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford on September 13, live on Sky Sports.

>Anderson, who was a Man Utd target this summer, said: "It's one of the biggest derbies in the world and for as long as I've known Manchester, City have been the kings of Manchester.

>"It'll be a great fixture, and I can't wait to be involved in something like that."

>Anderson came through the youth ranks at Newcastle and made 55 first-team appearances for his boyhood club. Early in his career he also enjoyed a successful loan at Bristol Rovers, where he earned the nickname 'Geordie Maradona'.

>He joined Forest in a £35m deal two years ago and played 92 times for the Reds. He earned his first England call-up last season and quickly established himself as a key member of Thomas Tuchel's side.

>"I'm only 23, so I've got plenty of time to get to my best levels," he said. "I'm definitely not there yet and there's more to come from me.

>"I think I bring a bit of everything. I bring quality, I bring physicality, energy. I'd like to think I'd get the fans excited, get them off their feet and bring energy to the team."

>There is extra significance in the move for Anderson, as he grew up idolising former City star Kevin De Bruyne.

>He said: "I think Kevin De Bruyne is someone who I've hugely looked up to over the past seven or eight years.

>"I've always wanted to play like him. I've watched him all the time and to be sat here in the team that he was doing it for is so special."

>Anderson is now enjoying a summer break and will link up with new manager Enzo Maresca's squad for pre-season training next month.

>Director of football Hugo Viana said: "Elliot is one of the outstanding young midfield talents in world football. We feel he can become a complete midfielder."

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>The average cost of a top-end signing in the Premier League has exploded. The £100m-plus player is no longer an outlier, but becoming increasingly commonplace.

>A trend started by Jack Grealish's £100m move from Aston Villa to Manchester City in 2021 has, in effect, snowballed, establishing a new benchmark for elite Premier League talent that continues to send records tumbling.

>Fees since have begun to accelerate far beyond general market inflation, with the average price for dipping into the premium player pool doubling over the past decade.

>This clear acceleration has been particularly apparent over the past three years. Between 2016-2023, average top-end costs held relatively steady. They fluctuated to a degree but not with the disparity we see now.

>Following on from Grealish, the idea of a £100m-plus investment became more normalised.

>The thought that the so-called 'top six' can force sales out of smaller clubs is less applicable in an era of high-wealth owners and greater financial gains.

>The strength of that bargaining power has also been leveraged to drive prices higher between competing clubs.

>Last summer saw moves for Florian Wirtz (£116.5m) and Alexander Isak (£125m) to Liverpool, while this window has witnessed major sums spent on Elliot Anderson (£116m), Sandro Tonali (£100m) and Morgan Rogers (£117m).

>Those moves have sent top-end averages soaring, up from £36.6m in 2024-25 to £70.5m in 2026.

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