Manchester City are currently viewed as the frontrunners to sign Elliot Anderson this summer, according to sources close to the situation.

Recent reports have highlighted Manchester United’s intention to prioritise the central midfielder in the upcoming transfer window. United do hold a genuine interest in the £100 million-rated Nottingham Forest star, as they look to reinforce the heart of their squad.

However, sources indicate it is the blue half of Manchester that has already made tangible progress toward a potential deal.

City insiders believe they are firmly in pole position and understand that Anderson views a move to the Etihad Stadium as his preferred destination. The situation is thought to echo the recent case of Antoine Semenyo, who attracted attention from Old Trafford but ultimately felt his ambitions would be better served by joining City.

United are targeting two central midfielders this summer and are keen to recruit at least one high-profile name from within the Premier League to minimise adaptation time. It is a strategy they have followed previously, including moves for Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.

The club are also pursuing reinforcements in other areas, with admiration for Iliman Ndiaye of Everton. Meanwhile, midfield alternatives such as Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace and Carlos Baleba of Brighton & Hove Albion remain on their shortlist.

City, for their part, are planning the next phase of their midfield rebuild and are prioritising a proven Premier League performer. Work is already underway to assess how Anderson’s potential arrival would fit into their wage structure, particularly in a summer that could see senior figures such as Bernardo Silva, John Stones and Jack Grealish depart permanently.

With both Manchester clubs circling, the battle for Anderson’s signature is shaping up to be one of the summer’s headline transfer stories — though, at present, City appear to hold the advantage.