Elliot Anderson was officially announced as a new Manchester City player on Thursday. The midfielder moves over from Nottingham Forest on a transfer fee reportedly worth £116 million, which is a new club record.The previous record belonged to Jack Grealish, who moved over from Aston Villa on a deal worth £100m.
The 23-year-old will not become the most expensive transfer buy for an England born player however.
— Manchester City (@ManCity) July 23, 2026
The Anderson deal did reach that record-breaking status, when it was first agreed back in June, but over the course of the past month (the deal could not be finalized due to Anderson’s involvement with England at the World Cup) that amount has since been surpassed.
Anderson completed his City medical while he was with the England national team, at their training base in Kansas, during the tournament.
Morgan Rogers now holds the mark, after making the £117m ($156m) move to Chelsea from Aston Villa last week.
Anderson’s deal, which keeps him at the club until 2031, matches Liverpool’s acquisition of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen (also £116m) in 2025, as the third most expensive player ever signed by an English club.
The only one ahead of Rogers, at least for right now, is the Swedish international Alexander Isak, who Liverpool signed from Newcastle United, last summer, for the hefty sum of £125m.
“As a footballer, you want to test yourself at the highest level. Being at City means I have that opportunity,” reads a statement attributed to Elliot Anderson.
Hi, City fans! 👋 pic.twitter.com/6kBshcU8x6
— Manchester City (@ManCity) July 23, 2026
“From the outside looking in, City are a club that treats its players well and provides the perfect environment to excel. The success they have had and the way they have played the game in the last 10 to 15 years has been extraordinary.
“It’s a privilege to be given the chance to be part of that. As soon as I arrive in Manchester after a break, I will be doing everything I can to establish myself in the City team.
“It’s a club built to win trophies and compete at the very top of the game. That is exciting for any footballer. I am so happy to have been given this opportunity, and I am determined to repay the faith City have shown in me.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.