Roy Keane has heaped praise on Elliot Anderson for his seamless transition to international football, as the Nottingham Forest star continues to attract significant transfer interest. Both Manchester City and Manchester United are closely monitoring the 23-year-old's progress, with a potential summer move for the £100 million-rated midfielder on the horizon.
Anderson's Rise to Prominence
Since joining Forest from Newcastle United in the summer of 2024, Anderson has firmly established himself as one of the Premier League's most promising young midfielders. His performances have earned him a likely starting spot for England at this summer's World Cup, a fact that Keane highlighted when discussing the player's development.
"He's done very well getting into the squad and the team," Keane remarked. "Every time the England manager has spoken about him, he's spoken very highly of him. He's had a big impact, and some of the England games can be easy, but they can be a test for a player because you can overthink it and try too hard. But he has settled very well into that international fold, and he will be a cert to go in the squad and starting 11."
Keane's Insight on Experience
Speaking ahead of Manchester United's victory over Forest, Keane added: "Sometimes with experience you can try too hard and when the team is in trouble, but that is where the experience will kick in – when to sit and when to start chasing people."
Carrick and Pereira Weigh In
Michael Carrick, speaking before his side's 3-2 win at Old Trafford, also praised Anderson. "Yeah, he's done well. I think he's a big part of their team. I think he offers so much, and they've got a really talented team and dangerous team. So they've had a good season to get to the [Europa League] semi-finals and just fall short. But yeah, you can see obviously he is important part of their team."
Forest boss Vitor Pereira, when asked about Anderson's future after the defeat at Old Trafford, remained non-committal. "This is an answer that I don't have. The market is the market, everything can happen. What I can say to you is the club wants to keep him playing for us for sure. The club wants to keep the players. This is a very good group with quality, with character and we are in a very good place for the next season."
