Manchester City have been known to possess one of the best midfields in the world over the years. However, one might argue that is not the case currently, with Kevin De Bruyne leaving in the summer and Rodri suffering from injuries lately, which is true to some extent.
The Citizens did bring in Tijjani Reijnders in the last transfer window to replace the Belgian legend, but the defensive midfield position remains largely unaddressed. Well, not for long it seems, as reports are claiming that Man City have already set their eyes on a candidate who could be a perfect profile to replace Rodri.
According to the Express, Manchester City are planning a £75million swoop for Nottingham Forest’s rising star Elliot Anderson. Guardiola is said to have been closely monitoring Anderson’s progress and has become a big fan of the England international. However, City are expected to face stiff competition from Premier League rivals Chelsea for the player’s signature.
Manchester City linked with promising £75m midfielder as replacement for Rodri
It is a proven fact that Manchester City have an eye for emerging talents. They have brought in a number of such youngsters before, so their interest in Anderson should come as no surprise.
The English international has been quietly working on to become one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League. He has appeared in 9 matches in all competitions for Nottingham Forest this season and has been solid so far.
The 22-year-old has also been called up by Thomas Tuchel regularly for England lately, and he could well be their go-to option in the World Cup next year.
Nevertheless, coming back to Manchester City, Kalvin Phillips is set to move out of Etihad sooner or later, which would leave the club with only Nico Gonzalez as a natural cover for Rodri, who himself is being linked with a transfer to Real Madrid. So the need for a defensive midfielder cannot be overstated, and Anderson could definitely be an excellent option. That said, it remains uncertain whether the transfer indeed materialises in the winter transfer window.