Manchester City have agreed a club-record £116million deal for Elliot Anderson, but that does not look like the end of their midfield business. City finished second with 78 points last season, yet the squad picture is still unsettled: Bernardo Silva has gone on a free transfer, while Rodri, Nico Gonzalez, Tijjani Reijnders and Mateo Kovacic are all in doubt.

Manchester Evening News summed it up neatly: "Manchester City have already agreed their biggest deal of the transfer window but there is still major work to be completed this summer." That feels like the right starting point here. Anderson is a headline signing, but the real story is the number of moving parts around him.

The midfield picture after Anderson

The timeline matters because City are not rebuilding from a bad season. They still ended up second in the league with 78 points. Even so, their recent league run was mixed, with two wins from the last five matches alongside a loss and two draws, and the club's response now looks more aggressive than cosmetic.

Anderson's arrival fits that mood. A £116million fee, even allowing for the reported variation elsewhere, is the verified number attached to the agreed deal and a huge commitment for one player. It also lands at a point when the midfield is short on certainty rather than just short on numbers.

Silva's departure is already confirmed. After that, the bigger issue is who City actually plan to keep. Manchester Evening News reported: "It remains unclear how many of those players incoming boss Enzo Maresca will keep (or be able to), and that will inform how active City are in the market."

That line needs a bit of care. The report presents Enzo Maresca as the incoming boss, but that point is not firmly established elsewhere in the material around this story. The wider conclusion is still sound enough: City have not settled all of their midfield decisions, so more business would make sense.

Rodri being listed among the uncertain names is what really underlines the scale of the summer. When a player of his importance is part of the conversation, this is no longer about trimming the edges of the squad. It points to a wider reset, with Anderson positioned as one major piece rather than the final answer.

Forest's Engels interest could be the next step

The other thread starts away from the Etihad. Nottingham Forest had a £25million bid for Arne Engels rejected on Deadline Day in January, and the expectation is that they will come back stronger after Anderson's sale.

That would turn one expensive deal into a separate Premier League chase. Forest are expected to return with more than four times their previous offer, which tells you how dramatically the market can move once a sale at this level goes through. It still would not guarantee anything, and it definitely does not mean Engels is joining Forest, but the link is no longer hard to see.

There is competition as well. Celtic would not be under pressure to sell cheaply after rejecting that first bid, and Engels is also being tracked by AS Roma, Tottenham, Fulham and Atletico Madrid. Forest may have fresh money, but that is not the same as having a clear run.

City's own summer has a similar feel. Anderson may end up being the biggest name on the incoming list, or he may be remembered as the first domino in a much larger midfield reshuffle. What is already clear is that an agreed £116million deal has not settled the squad. It has left City with more big calls to make before the season starts.

FAQ

Why are Manchester City still active in midfield after agreeing a deal for Elliot Anderson?

Because Anderson's agreed £116million move does not settle the rest of the midfield. Bernardo Silva has left on a free transfer, and Nico Gonzalez, Tijjani Reijnders, Rodri and Mateo Kovacic are all described as being in doubt. City also finished second with 78 points, so this looks like a major reshuffle from a strong base rather than a minor tweak.

Could Nottingham Forest use the Elliot Anderson money to move for Arne Engels?

They could. Nottingham Forest had a £25million bid for Arne Engels rejected on Deadline Day in January, and reports suggest they are expected to return with a much bigger offer after Anderson's sale. That does not mean a deal is done, but Forest clearly had interest before this latest cash injection.

Is Enzo Maresca definitely Manchester City's incoming manager?

That is not fully settled here. One report frames City's midfield planning around Enzo Maresca as the incoming boss, but that point is not independently established by the wider information around the move. The safer reading is that City's midfield decisions are still open and will shape how active they remain in the market.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 7 outlets. How we work →