Negotiations between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City over Elliot Anderson are now actively progressing, according to Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg.
The update marks a significant development in a transfer saga that has dominated Forest’s summer window for several weeks running.
City have already seen two formal bids rejected by Forest, who have consistently refused to lower their extraordinary asking price for the midfielder.
Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has suggested Forest are demanding more than £120 million as a guaranteed fee before seriously considering any sale.
That valuation underlines just how highly Anderson is regarded at the City Ground, where he has established himself as one of the division’s most influential midfielders.
Manchester United had previously been mentioned as serious admirers of the 23-year-old, raising the prospect of a bidding war between the two Manchester clubs.
However, Plettenberg’s latest report states there is currently no comparable offer from Old Trafford, handing City a clear advantage in pursuit of Anderson’s signature.
Forest had every reason to hope that competition between rival clubs would drive the fee even higher, but that scenario has not materialised.
Anderson has been the heartbeat of Vitor Pereira’s side, with his energy, technical ability and leadership qualities making him one of the standout English players in the Premier League.
The midfielder was one of the defining figures of Forest’s late-season resurgence, and his departure would represent a significant loss regardless of any incoming transfer fee.
Forest’s position has barely wavered throughout the process, with the club making clear from the outset that only an extraordinary proposal would be sufficient to trigger a sale.
City must now decide how far they are willing to stretch their offer to meet Forest’s valuation, with the gap between the two clubs apparently narrowing.
After weeks of rejected bids, mounting interest and sustained speculation, the possibility of Anderson leaving the City Ground for the Etihad Stadium feels increasingly real.