Nottingham Forest manager Vitor Pereira has said Elliot Anderson deserves to play for the ‘best clubs in the world’.
Anderson featured as Nottingham Forest concluded theirPremier League campaign with a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth at the City Ground.
The 23-year-old was substituted to an ovation after 64 minutes, in what is anticipated to be his final Forest appearance, amid ongoing speculation surrounding his future.
Manchester United and Manchester City have both been heavily linked with the England international, with the latter understood to be frontrunners.
Speaking toSky Sports at full-time, Pereira was asked whether Anderson would still be a Forest player next season. He was non-committal on an answer, but said the midfielder is good enough to play for the world’s top clubs.
“I don’t have the answer. If you ask me if he deserves the best clubs in the world, he deserves. He has a lot of quality, he is a talent. But he is our player and I am very happy with him. The market is the market, I cannot predict the market. I know we want to keep the same players, to bring two or three players to help us balance the squad. In the end, we’ll see.”
Why do the Premier League’s top teams want to sign Elliot Anderson?
Anderson has enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2025-26, a season in which he has established himself as one of thePremier League’s most complete midfielders.
No midfielder in the division completed more successful passes than Anderson, who also ranked fourth for successful passes in the final third.
Defensively, he was outstanding, leading the Premier League for possessions won (302) and ground duels won (422), comfortably finishing as the league’s standout on both metrics.
It has helped Anderson establish himself with England after making his senior debut in September 2025 and he has since won seven caps. Named in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the World Cup, he’s expected to feature prominently.
Manchester United have earmarked Anderson as the ideal addition for their summer rebuild, with the Red Devils plotting to sign at least two midfielders. Manchester City, meanwhile, view Anderson as an option to upgrade their engine room as Bernardo Silva departs this summer.