Manchester United reportedly went as far as suggesting Elliot Anderson could become club captain if he joined. They later decided they could not justify the money Nottingham Forest were asking for, and moved on. Manchester City then completed the signing from Forest on Thursday for £116million, with Metro reporting that the deal made Anderson the most expensive British footballer of all time.
United's leadership pitch
The key detail is how far Manchester United were prepared to go in the conversations. The Athletic, via Metro, reported that the Red Devils suggested Anderson could even receive the honour of becoming club captain if he signed.
That is a serious pitch for a 23-year-old midfielder. It tells you United were not treating him as a short-term squad addition, but as someone they believed could grow into a central role inside the club.
The problem was the fee. United decided they could not justify spending the amount Forest were demanding and backed out, leaving City to finish the deal instead.
Why Anderson was such an attractive target
Anderson had plenty going for him beyond the transfer chatter. Metro said the 23-year-old excelled in a struggling Forest side last season and quickly became a key player in Thomas Tuchel’s England team, starting every game for the Three Lions at the 2026 World Cup so far.
The tournament numbers underline that rise. Anderson has started all 4 England games at the World Cup, played 345 minutes and holds a 7.25 average rating.
His last four World Cup ratings were 7.6, 7.5, 6.71 and 7.2. That is a decent run of consistency, with only one dip, and it helps explain why United were willing to think about him in leadership terms in the first place.
For United, though, the price was the barrier they could not clear. For City, it became a £116million signing from Forest, and the club that had dangled captaincy instead ended up watching the move go elsewhere.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
