Anderson's Transfer: United's Missed Opportunity and City's Gain
Ryan Giggs tried one last time on a Portuguese fairway. Phil Bardsley was alongside him, the pair of former Manchester United defenders spotting England’s new midfield star across the golf course and sensing an opportunity.
They walked over to Anderson and made the pitch: Old Trafford, the red shirt, the history. Choose United, not City.
It didn’t work.
Within weeks, the 23-year-old was posing with a sky-blue scarf at the Etihad, his move from Nottingham Forest briefly making him the most expensive British player in history. Then, on his first outing, he poured a little more petrol on the fire, calling Manchester City the “kings of Manchester”.
For United fans, that one will sting for a while.
Giggs and Bardsley’s failed charm offensive
Bardsley has now lifted the lid on that chance encounter in Portugal, where United royalty tried to tilt the race.
“I was in Portugal earlier in the summer playing golf with Giggs and we saw Anderson on the golf course and had a chat with him to try and persuade him to join United,” Bardsley told Casinolyze. “He was still unsure what he wanted to do but north of £100m for a defensive midfielder like him? If I’m spending that money, I want a player who will add 30-40 goals to my team a season. That’s what I’m looking for at that fee. That’s value for money.”
The message was clear: United admired the player, but not the price.
United’s recruitment team had been in the conversation for Anderson, keen to stop their neighbours landing another elite talent. Once Forest’s valuation pushed beyond the £100m mark, the club hierarchy stepped back. City did not.
The champions paid the fee. United changed course.
United pivot to Tielemans and Santos
With Anderson heading for the blue half of the city, Michael Carrick had to rework his midfield plan. He turned to two very different profiles: Chelsea’s Andrey Santos and Aston Villa captain Youri Tielemans.
Bardsley, a United academy graduate who knows the club’s standards up close, believes the Belgian in particular represents shrewd business.
“Signing Youri Tielemans for £35m is a great bit of business. He is a proven Premier League player, he can deliver and he’s won trophies,” he said.
At a time when the market for central midfielders has exploded, Bardsley didn’t hide his scepticism over some of the sums involved.
“I think Manchester City and Tottenham certainly overpaid for Anderson and Sandro Tonali. I knew it was getting to a stage with Elliot where he’d be £100m plus and I just didn’t feel comfortable about going to that sort of price for him as a player. Listen, he’s outstanding. I really like him.”
That tension sits at the heart of modern recruitment: pay the going rate for the very best, or walk away and look for value. United chose the latter. City pushed all the way.
Anderson’s choice: champions, ambition and a new era
For all the noise around the fee, Anderson himself never seemed in much doubt once City came calling.
He had just emerged from a standout 2026 World Cup under Thomas Tuchel, anchoring England’s midfield and announcing himself as a player built for the biggest stages. The next step, in his mind, had to match that trajectory.
“As soon as I knew City wanted me, I was absolutely determined to make this move happen,” Anderson said after signing his five-year deal. “You want to test yourself at the highest level. Being at City means I have that opportunity.”
The rise has been rapid, but not, in his eyes, accidental.
“It’s happened quite quickly, but I think I always believed I could get to this point, and this is where I want to be.”
City, now under Enzo Maresca after the Pep Guardiola era, see him as a cornerstone of their next cycle. A record fee for a defensive midfielder is not just a signing; it’s a statement that the standards set under Guardiola are non‑negotiable.
For Maresca, who arrived at the Etihad after his spell at Chelsea, Anderson is the first major building block. The Italian wants to refresh without losing the ruthless edge that has defined City’s domestic dominance. Anderson, with his World Cup pedigree and fearless approach, fits the brief.
He has already spoken of glowing reviews about Maresca from former colleagues. The fit, on paper, looks strong: a coach steeped in positional play, a midfielder who thrives in structure but is confident enough to dictate games.
The next chapter in Manchester’s tug of war
United, meanwhile, move into the new season with Tielemans and Santos instead of Anderson. City do so with a £100m-plus England international who has already declared them the “kings of Manchester”.
The debate over value will run for years. The trophies will decide who was right.
City’s first glimpse of their new midfield general in a competitive setting will come soon enough. They face Arsenal in the Community Shield next weekend, then open their Premier League title defence at home to Bournemouth.
A new manager, a record signing, and a familiar target: can anyone stop them?
