Manchester City paid £116m for Elliot Anderson, and the early signs are that the move has not unsettled him. The midfielder has 14 games this season, with one goal and two assists, while Manchester City figures such as Enzo Maresca and Erling Haaland have already spoken as if he belongs at the centre of what they are building.

The verdict around Anderson

Maresca’s strongest line came on his ceiling, not his price tag. “Anderson is going to become the key player for England, not just City,” he told BBC Sport, while Haaland added: “He has been amazing. He has had an amazing start to his City career and that is what you expect.”

That kind of praise is not coming out of nowhere. Maresca also said Anderson wants to learn every day, and that the club have already sat with him on video analysis. A supporter of Nottingham Forest who spoke to BBC Sport said the City Ground will ring with “Geordie Maradona”, then added that fans would have him back in a heartbeat.

The role change and the numbers

Anderson himself has been clear that the job has changed. “I'm loving [my role but] it's a bit different to what I've been used to. I've got to be a bit more structured, that's what I'm learning, to stay in my position. At Forest I was doing a little bit more,” he said.

That switch to a more disciplined number-six role has not reduced his influence. He has drawn 28 fouls, the most in the division, ranks second for duels won with 66, and ranks third for successful passes with 610 and touches on the ball with 851. Only Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke and Arsenal’s Declan Rice have more successful passes in the opposition half and line-breaking passes than Anderson.

His ratings point the same way. Anderson has a 7.06 Premier League rating for Manchester City, and a 7.43 mark in the Champions League. City are getting control, progression and repeat involvement, even if the headline attacking return has been modest so far.

Forest will see him again soon enough, and the warm reception should tell its own story. Anderson is already being judged like a major signing, not a slow-burn project, and the next checkpoint is his next Premier League outing for City.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →