It has looked, for some time, like a straight shootout between the two Manchester clubs for Elliot Anderson's signature in the summer transfer window.
But Manchester United's transfer dealings so far - with the window not actually open for another two weeks yet - may point to their rivals City getting a free run at the Nottingham Forest midfielder after all.
It seems highly unlikely that we will hear anything with regard to the 23-year-old's future for another month, with the midfielder enjoying a short break before meeting up with his England teammates for the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico next week.
Manchester City take lead in Anderson transfer race
Elliot Anderson waves to the Nottingham Forest fans
Elliot Anderson waves to the Nottingham Forest fans
There had been a growing feeling that City were the frontrunners to sign Anderson, with the bookmakers having them at 4/11 to sign him, with United at 4/1.
City have long been confident of getting a deal over the line, but GIVEMESPORT have always reported that Anderson was United's number one priority in the transfer window this summer.
United are in the market for two new central midfielders, with Casemiro leaving the club and the Red Devils open to selling Manuel Ugarte, but it now does not look like Anderson will be one of them.
United have reached an agreement with Atalanta to sign Brazilian midfielder Ederson this summer in a deal worth just under £39million. He will be midfielder number one joining and there are strong reports that Sandro Tonali could be the second.
Manchester United interest in Carlos Baleba has cooled, but while it looked like United had been put off by the price tag for Tonali and the lack of value in the deal, they could now get a transfer over the line.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claimed last week that United delegates jetting out to Italy for talks over the Ederson deal would have met up with Tonali's representatives too to discuss terms.
Manchester United could sign Tonali and Fernandes
West Ham United's Mateus Fernandes celebrates scoring vs Sunderland
A separate report from Italy last week claimed that United were actually close to an agreement to sign the 'elite' Tonali, with another saying new permanent manager Michael Carrick instructed club chiefs to sign the Italian international ahead of Ederson as part of their major midfield rebuild.
There are also links with Mateus Fernandes, who could now be available on a cut-price deal following West Ham's relegation to the Championship.
GIVEMESPORT reported on suggestions that Manchester United had pulled out of a move to sign Anderson earlier this week and it may now be coming true, with rivals City getting the green light to conclude a £100m deal with Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.
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