England international Jarell Quansah has tipped Elliot Anderson to "go right to the top" after Manchester City agreed a £116 million fee with Nottingham Forest for the midfielder. The deal, which emerged on Thursday night, will shatter the record fee paid for a British player and City's own club record, surpassing the £100 million spent on Jack Grealish in 2021.
Anderson's focus remains on World Cup glory
Quansah, a Bayer Leverkusen defender, spoke about Anderson's mindset ahead of England's final group stage match against Panama on Saturday. He insisted the transfer news has not distracted the 21-year-old from the national team's World Cup ambitions.
"I see a player that's fully focused on what he wants, and I think at the moment what he wants is to win a World Cup," Quansah told talkSPORT. "That ultimately is the goal. Obviously I'm not in his head or whatnot, but I'm sure he is fully focused on winning the World Cup for England, and you can't drift too far away from that and he knows that. But he's a proper focused young lad and he'll go right to the top, I think."
Medical details and transfer timeline
Reports suggesting Anderson underwent a medical in New York on Friday are premature. A date for the medical has not yet been set, but it is expected to take place after the World Cup group stage concludes. The move will see City pay a British record fee, eclipsing the £100 million they paid for Jack Grealish in 2021.
Quansah praises Anderson's versatility
Quansah highlighted Anderson's adaptability, noting his ability to play in multiple midfield roles. "I think he's a very versatile player as well," he added. "This season he's played a deeper role, played in a sort of a six and sometimes an eight, but he's got probably everything you want as a midfielder, to be honest."
The defender also recalled hearing about Anderson during his own loan spell at Bristol Rovers, where Anderson had previously played on loan. "I remember hearing about him at Bristol Rovers when I went on loan there afterwards and I think he was playing on the wing. Knowing he can do that and what he does in training sessions as well, he's got a lot of attributes that are really good for an England squad and exactly what the manager wants, which is good."
