Earlier this week we reported the Elliott Anderson transfer race between Manchester City and Manchester United. The story has moved on quickly. Manchester City's £106million offer, which included £15million in add-ons, was turned down by Nottingham Forest, and City are now considering whether to withdraw their interest. Manchester United, meanwhile, are edging toward Mateus Fernandes as the market for midfielders tightens.
Why City's Anderson pursuit is stalling
The City package would have gone past the £105million Arsenal paid West Ham for Declan Rice in 2023. That is a serious number even by modern transfer standards, and Forest still said no. A source close to the deal has already floated figures ranging from £120million to £130million in the wider conversation, but the only hard fact here is that City have not got Anderson for their first push.
That matters because City are now weighing whether to stay in the race at all. This is not a case of a club testing the waters and then calmly resetting. Forest are standing firm, Anderson has 7 points from Forest's last 5 league matches, and his own recent level, 7.16 across his last 5 matches, gives Forest a decent argument for holding out.
Why United are looking at Fernandes instead
United do not look interested in being dragged into the same price zone. Tyrone Marshall said United are “unwilling to pay £120million for Elliot Anderson and won't be drawn into a bidding war”, adding that they are focusing on other targets, with Mateus Fernandes “at the top of the list”. Fabrizio Romano also said United are in official contact with Fernandes' agent and have started conversations to prepare a bid to West Ham.
There is a reason that move makes sense. West Ham finished 18th in the Premier League with 36 points, 9 wins, 9 draws and 19 losses, and Fernandes' future already looks likely to move this month. Ben Jacobs said United are already in talks on the player side, with PSG, Arsenal and Real Madrid also showing interest. Fernandes has a 7.16 average rating across his last 5 matches, the same figure Anderson has posted, which suggests United are not dropping into a clearly lower tier of option.
West Ham are holding out for £85million, so this is not a bargain move either. But it is a cheaper route than trying to force Anderson away from Forest, and United have at least made themselves part of the Fernandes conversation. Whether they actually turn that into a bid is the next step, but the direction of travel is clear enough: City face a hard price wall, and United are already moving to a different midfield target.
Compiled by the ClutchBrief Desk with AI assistance, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →