Why are Man City breaking the bank for Anderson?

Why are Man City breaking the bank for Anderson?Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Elliot Anderson will become Manchester City's record signing when he joins from Nottingham ForestByNick Mashiter, Football reporter and Mohamed Moallim, BBC Sport JournalistPublished2 minutes agoCommentsElliot Anderson will now become the most expensive British player in history as the midfielder's impending £116m move to Manchester City from Nottingham Forest shatters previous marks.City confirmed on Thursday they had reached an agreement with Forest to sign Anderson - the formalities of the transfer being completed after his participation at the World Cup concludes.In 1979, Forest broke the British transfer record to buy Trevor Francis from Birmingham, making him the first £1m player.On this occasion, they will be receiving a record transfer fee, with Anderson to eclipse the £105m Arsenal paid for Declan Rice three years ago.Since joining from Newcastle two years ago for £35m, Anderson has become a crucial player for Forest and has started every game for Thomas Tuchel at the World Cup.Having a historic tag around his neck carries its own unique pressures and expectations, so is he worth the huge fee?Numbers prove why Anderson was so covetedTransfer fees often reflect potential as much as proven quality. In Anderson's case, City appear to believe they have bought both.At 23, Anderson will arrive at Etihad Stadium as their record signing - beating the £100m City paid for Jack Grealish - having enjoyed a remarkable campaign for Forest, in which he quietly established himself as one of the Premier League's most complete central midfielders. While Forest finished 16th, Anderson's influence on their performances was extraordinary.No player in the Premier League recorded more touches than Anderson's 3,300 during the 2025-26 campaign. He also led the division for duels won (298), possessions won (306) and fouls won (80), underlining just how frequently he...