Man City have “started negotiations” with the entourage of Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano said that the Cityzens are looking to get an agreement in place with the player, but they will put off speaking directly with Forest until the summer:
“City want the player. Manchester City started negotiations with his camp. So, Man City have started working on a deal to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest, but still nothing advanced club-to-club because Man City want to respect Nottingham Forest. They are in a relegation battle.”
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“Obviously, Elliot Anderson is a crucial player for Nottingham Forest, and so now is not [the] time to negotiate a transfer fee. It’s not [the] time to negotiate a price. So we have to see at the end of the season whether Nottingham Forest are going to be in the Championship, in the Premier League, and this is going to be important to understand the fee, the pricing and how the negotiation will be with the Marinakis family.”
Anderson’s price will depend on Forest’s fate
As Romano points out, the Tricky Trees could still be relegated this season. Their win against Tottenham before the international break has given them some breathing space, but they are still only three points above the drop zone.
If they do end up dropping down into the Championship, it would dramatically impact Anderson’s valuation. The England international is expected to cost close to £100m at the moment, but that fee could be lowered depending on circumstances.
Man City do have competition for the midfielder
Rivals Manchester United are said to have Anderson high up their shortlist, but they would need to guarantee Champions League qualification first before committing to make a move for the player.
It means City have a massive edge in terms of being able to start talks over a deal much sooner than the Red Devils.
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