Anderson is expected to be one of England’s key players at this summer’s World Cup, and his stellar performances for Nottingham Forest have led to such significant transfer interest that he is likely to become the most expensive British footballer ever.
The 23 year old has quickly become a key man for national boss Thomas Tuchel, winning eight caps this season just three years after being called up by Scotland.
He is expected to start alongside Declan Rice in the heart of midfield when England begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia on Wednesday 17 June.
As he prepares for that, his club future remains uncertain with Forest having already turned down a significant bid from City as owner Evangelos Marinakis holds out for a reported £110 million.
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Anderson was eligible to play for Scotland because of his Glasgow born grandmother and was selected by Steve Clarke for their Euro 2024 game with Cyprus.
He pulled out through injury before opting to play for England, helping the Three Lions win the European Under-21 Championship last summer.
Though Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott was named player of the tournament, Anderson stood out enough to be picked in the best XI.
His tireless running was particularly impressive in the 3-1 quarter-final win over Spain, and his injury time penalty moved England into the semi-finals.
The summer was another platform for Anderson and he carried his form into Forest’s chaotic season.
Despite playing under four managers in a successful battle against relegation, Anderson has been a consistent presence.
In the 3-0 win at Tottenham in December he created the most chances, completed more passes, won possession the most, and made more tackles than any of his team-mates.
He impressed staff with his commitment and regularly talks to coaches to discuss the best way to improve himself and the team.
His positional awareness has earned praise though his work rate and desire to cover as much ground as possible means he can often tire himself out.
Forest view Anderson as having the potential to become a complete player.
Anderson said it has been a big two years since he moved from Newcastle for £35 million in 2024.
He believes he has done pretty well on and off the pitch and has matured as a person.
He added that moving from your hometown is a big step and it was definitely something he needed to do, and it has turned out really well.
Anderson’s brilliant form has inevitably brought speculation over his future with particular links to both Manchester clubs.
He scored a superb equaliser to salvage an unlikely point at City in March and the Blues have long admired the player.
They firmed up their interest last week with an opening bid and sources say they are expected to make another offer.
Anderson tops the club’s list of midfield targets following the departure of captain Bernardo Silva.
Sources previously reported Anderson is leaning towards a move to City over rivals United.
The statistics make for incredible reading.
Among all top flight players Anderson had the most touches of the ball at 3,300, won the most duels at 297, won the most fouls at 80, and won possession the most times overall at 306.
Among central midfielders he made the most line breaking passes at 376, completed the most overall passes at 2,038, and made the most dribbles at 95.
He became the first player since Rice in 2019-20 to win possession more than 300 times and make more than 100 in a Premier League season.
His 1,895 high intensity pressures were the most applied by a central midfielder.
Former Stoke midfielder Glenn Whelan coached and played with Anderson during his loan at Bristol Rovers in 2022.
He recalled that Anderson came off the bench on his debut and made the difference, describing him as a game changer.
Whelan said the biggest respect he can give is that Anderson was the one who got them promoted, and straight away you could tell he was different.
Then 19, Anderson scored seven goals in 21 appearances to help Rovers to automatic promotion including the seventh goal in their improbable 7-0 final day win over Scunthorpe.
Whelan compared Anderson to Paul Gascoigne, saying he is a bit of a throwback in the way he handles the ball.
He can grab games by the scruff of the neck, and Whelan believes if you put him in a top four team you will see a bigger improvement again.
He said you have only seen a small bit on the England stage but Anderson can go to the very top and will be a mainstay for years.
Tactically the completeness of Anderson’s profile stands out in a similar manner to that of his England team-mate Rice.
He shares similarities with the latter version of City’s recently departed captain Bernardo Silva, with both having experienced playing as wingers at senior level.
That adds to their skillset the ability to withstand pressure from behind, trap the ball, and drive with it upfield, all transferable qualities when playing as a pivot particularly in a possession heavy side.
Anderson moves proactively in midfield either diagonally away from his marker to show for the ball or to open up passing lanes for centre-backs to find players higher up.
He is not shy in taking responsibility for the build-up and it is a testament to his quality that he is trusted to do so for England.
His versatility allows him to push into more advanced positions providing numerical overloads without compromising quality.
His physicality, ability to counter press, and willing defending combine to make him an impressive Premier League proven all rounder.
Tactically it is difficult to find a player offering a greater variety of tools and potential solutions given the breadth of his skillset.
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