Manchester City's transfer rule may prove costly as they look to battle Manchester United for Elliot Anderson's signature
Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest looks on during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Fulham at City Ground on March 15, 2026 in Nottingham, England.
Manchester United may have the upper hand in their pursuit of Elliot Anderson(Image: George Wood/Getty Images)
View 2 Images
Manchester United could hold an advantage over Manchester City in the pursuit of Elliot Anderson this summer.
That’s due to City's well-known transfer rule, where the club's hierarchy avoid costly bidding wars, potentially handing their rivals the edge. United's recruitment team are expected to act swiftly for Anderson once the transfer window opens at the end of this season.
This could allow them to secure a cheaper deal with Nottingham Forest before his World Cup performances potentially inflate his valuation further. The England midfielder, 23, has been linked with a move to Old Trafford for several months.
He is among a number of reported midfield targets for United, which also include Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba. Anderson remains under contract at the City Ground until 2029.
With Forest under no pressure to part with one of their key players should they avoid relegation come May, they could demand a fee of £80million, which might rise to £100m if other clubs express interest.
City, while also interested in pursuing Anderson, have a track record of avoiding bidding wars. United may therefore emerge victorious in this instance if they are prepared to commit substantial funds to the promising youngster, which could prove necessary given they need to replace veteran Casemiro at the base of midfield.
The Etihad side’s unwillingness to engage in bidding wars has previously cost them targets to United. Both Manchester clubs were keen to sign Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal in January 2018.
Harry Maguire of Manchester United reacts after the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion on January 11, 2026 in Manchester, England.
City refused to pay over the odds for Maguire(Image: Richard Sellers/Allstar, Getty Images)
View 2 Images
Pep Guardiola tried to recruit the former Barcelona winger but City later revealed they were unable to match the financial package offered by their cross-city rivals, ultimately withdrawing from negotiations. Sanchez joined United in a swap deal that saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan head in the opposite direction.
In similar fashion, City, who had claimed successive league titles by the summer of 2019, saw United pip them to Harry Maguire's signature. The Leicester City centre-back's £80m transfer was and remains the world record fee paid for a defender.
Guardiola admitted City could not pay such a hefty fee on Maguire, stating: "He's an excellent, top-class player. We were interested but could not afford it."
Similar patterns have emerged more recently. Chelsea owner Todd Boehly admitted he signed Marc Cucurella for £60m in 2022 because City were pursuing the then-Brighton full-back. The reigning Premier League champions at the time were priced out once Chelsea entered negotiations.
A year later, City went head-to-head with Arsenal for Declan Rice's signature. The Gunners ultimately signed Rice with a third bid worth £105m, with City pulling out.