Manchester City and Manchester United are both keen on Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson this summer but the midfielder could cost upwards of £100million
Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest looks on after the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth
Elliot Anderson is wanted by both Manchester City and Manchester United this summer
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Manchester City and Manchester United are both chasing Elliot Anderson this summer but face a race against time if they want to secure a move for the midfielder before the World Cup.
The Blues are on the lookout for midfield reinforcements with captain Bernardo Silva departing at the end of his contract and recent signings Nico Gonzalez and Tijjani Reijnders failing to fully convince. There are also questions over Rodri's long-term future with the midfielder out of contract in 2027 and of interest to Real Madrid. Mateo Kovacic is also entering the final 12 months of his Etihad deal.
Meanwhile, United are planning a midfield overhaul having seen Casemiro depart and Manuel Ugarte could be sold after an underwhelming two seasons at Old Trafford. Anderson is a player high up the United shortlist but the Reds are keen not to get involved in a bidding war or overpay for the 23-year-old given they have other transfer priorities.
That leaves City as the frontrunners to secure a deal for the former Newcastle United midfielder and the Blues have a good relationship with the Premier League club having sold them James McAtee and Stefan Ortega in the last 12 months. But any prospective suitors face a tight deadline if they are to conclude a move before the World Cup.
Anderson was named in Thomas Tuchel's 26-man squad for the tournament and is expected to be a mainstay in midfield as England go for glory in North America.
And should City or United want to conclude a deal they have just a matter of days to do so with the Three Lions leaving for America on Monday, June 1. That means the prospect of Anderson's club future being resolved before the tournament is remote, meaning the transfer saga could drag on for much of the summer.
There is an expectation that Anderson will leave the City Ground this summer and Forest will be hoping for a £100m+ deal for a player who has impressed for club and country over the last 18 months.
Forest boss Vitor Pereira said after the final game of the season that he hoped to keep his best players but there is an acceptance that Anderson is a potential departure given the interest and the absence of European football for Forest next term.
"I believe if we want to compete for different goals, we need to keep the best players," said Pereira. "If not, if you change every season, it is difficult to be consistent and difficult to build something stronger.
"We cannot control the market, of course, but I think we are aligned; what I think and what the club thinks is to try to keep most of them and to try to control the market."