Manchester City want Elliot Anderson, and the move is live. Forest are a willing seller, but they are holding firm for something close to a £130m record fee, and so far their wall has not cracked. City have lodged a string of bids — most recently a £119m offer that was knocked back — but none has yet met Forest's number. The player's preference is settled: he wants City, and personal terms are not the sticking point. This is a price gap between two clubs, not a refusal to do business. The sourcing is strong. The most recent reads come from Ben Jacobs and Florian Plettenberg, two reliable voices, both saying City are advancing and optimistic, with Jacobs flatly calling the deal "still likely to happen." Behind them, BBC Sport — a benchmark outlet — has repeatedly detailed the rejected £120m bid and the state of play. Multiple credible reporters telling the same story is about as solid as it gets at this stage. The engine puts this at 72%, meaning it is clearly the likely outcome rather than a certainty. For it to complete, City simply have to close the gap to Forest's asking price; everything else — the player's wish, personal terms — is already aligned. What holds the number short of a near-lock is that no agreement exists yet and bids keep being rejected over money. For precedent, recall Anderson's own switch from Newcastle to Nott'm Forest for £35m in 2024 — proof of how steeply his valuation has climbed. Watch for the next bid. A figure near £130m being accepted, then a medical booked, would turn this from advanced talks into a done deal.