Manchester City are primed to step up their interest in Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, talkSPORT understands.
Anderson was already at the forefront of City’s thoughts before scoring a superb goal to earn Forest a 2-2 draw at the Etihad on Wednesday night.
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The England international is seen as a potential successor for Rodri and City believe Anderson favours a move to them over neighbours Manchester United, who are also keen.
Forest value Anderson at more than double the £35m they paid Newcastle to sign him in the summer of 2024.
Transfer conditions
But any move for Anderson is likely to depend on whether Rodri remains at the club beyond this season.
Real Madrid are understood to be tracking the former Ballon d’Or winner’s situation at the Etihad Stadium with his contract set to expire in June 2027.
Rodri is yet to agree a new deal and failure to do so in the coming months could force City into a summer sale.
The Spaniad has been hampered by a serious knee injury over the past 18 months leaving captain Bernardo Silva as a makeshift holding midfielder on occasions.
However, the future of the Portuguese star is also in doubt with his contract set to expire this summer.
And that could mean all roads lead to Anderson, who has undergone a meteoric rise in the past year.
Anderson, who came through the academy set-up at Newcastle, has impressed since arriving at the City Ground.
Aside from the two Manchester clubs, Liverpool have also kept close tabs on the 23-year-old.
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Anderson’s performances have been eye-catching with emphasis on energy and technical ability.
World Cup hopes
It earned him a first senior England call-up by head coach Thomas Tuchel for September’s World Cup qualifiers and made his Three Lions debut in the 2-0 win over Andorra.
Four days later he was handed another start in the 5-0 win against Serbia in Belgrade, landing the Man of the Match award.
The midfielder is firmly in the mix for a spot in England’s World Cup squad this summer.
Performances similar to what he delivered at the Etihad on Wednesday evening will have done his hopes no harm.
Anderson could hold the key to Forest’s survival hopes with the club out of the bottom three on goal difference with just nine games to play.
