Nottingham Forest decide on Elliot Anderson January 2026 transfer stance

Nottingham Forest’s summer gamble last year on Elliot Anderson has turned into one of the standout success stories in the Premier League over the last two campaigns.

Since swapping Newcastle for the City Ground in 2024, the 23-year-old has grown from promising squad option into the heartbeat of Forest’s midfield.

Not only is the midfield star a routine starter for Forest, starting every league game this season but has also forced his way into Thomas Tuchel’s England plans as a regular starter.

Anderson’s blend of energy, press resistance and clean final-third decision-making has made him one of the most watchable midfielders in the division, with his single goal and assist barely scratching the surface of his influence on games.

Unsurprisingly, that rise has drawn serious attention from Manchester United, whose midfield rebuild under Ruben Amorim has increasingly focused on players proven in the Premier League.

The Red Devils have been tracking Anderson alongside other young midfielders such as Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton, viewing him as the sort of all-round profile who could anchor the next phase of the project at Old Trafford.

However, any hopes of a mid-season opportunity have now been firmly dampened.

The Daily Mail has reported that Nottingham Forest will reject any bids for Anderson in the January transfer window, with club figures determined to ignore all approaches midway through the campaign.

That stance extends to Manchester United, who are understood to be among the clubs admiring his development at close range.

Forest’s position is underpinned by the strength of the player’s contract and the structure of the original deal.

Elliot Anderson is tied down until 2029, with no release clause, no Newcastle United buy-back option and no sell-on clause that would hand profit back to his former club.

As such, Nottingham Forest are in complete control of the situation, with no pressure to sell their key man.

Forest and owner Evangelos Marinakis can dictate both the timing and the scale of any future negotiations, with suggestions that a total package could ultimately exceed £100 million if Anderson continues on his current trajectory.

For Manchester United, that means any move for the England international is likely to become a long, expensive saga controlled almost entirely in Nottingham, rather than a quick January fix for Amorim’s evolving midfield.