Elliot Anderson is back at the centre of a costly summer chase. Nottingham Forest want £100million for the midfielder, Manchester City have already seen an opening £80m bid rejected, and Manchester United believe Sir Jim Ratcliffe would be prepared to meet Anderson's wage demands to stay in the race.

Why this has become a bidding war

The numbers explain why this is not a straightforward move. Anderson earns around £100,000 per week at Forest and is expected to get a 50 per cent increase from either Manchester club. That kind of jump is one reason the deal is being judged as much on wages as on the fee itself.

A club source told The Guardian that "Sir Jim would be prepared to meet Anderson's wage demands", while an unnamed Manchester United executive said "executives at the club are confident they can beat City to the deal". That is the United case in a sentence, but City remain the benchmark opponent in this race and they have already tested the market with an £80m offer.

Anderson's recent form helps explain why the interest has not cooled. He posted a 9 rating against Manchester United and has 2 goal contributions in his last five league matches. His most recent league outing brought a 7.2 rating against Bournemouth, so this is not just one big performance being overread.

What United are actually up against

Forest's stance is clear enough. They are in 16th place in the Premier League with 43 points after 37 matches, yet they are still able to ask for elite-level money for a key midfielder. Manchester United, by contrast, are third with 68 points after 37 matches, which gives them a stronger platform to chase a big signing, but does not make the deal cheap.

The other complication is that City have already drawn first blood in the process with a rejected £80m offer. United may feel they can outbid them on wages, but the fee and the salary package together make this one of the more expensive midfield battles of the summer. If Ratcliffe does green-light the move, it will be because United think Anderson is worth paying for, not because the market has become easy.

The story, for now, is still a chase. Forest want £100million, City have already had one bid turned away, and United are trying to keep pace without pretending this is anything other than a very expensive fight.

Compiled by the ClutchBrief Desk with AI assistance, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →