World Cup: Tuchel insist Elliot Anderson is not distracted amid looming move to Manchester City
By Luke Oluoch, June 27, 2026England boss Thomas Tuchel has insisted that midfielder Anderson Elliot’s focus is firmly on helping England’s World Cup games amid his ongoing transfer to English Premier League giants.
The Nottingham Forest midfielder is set to complete a move to the English team after a record-breaking fee was agreed between his club and Cityzens.
Closing in on Man City move
According to reports on Friday, June 26, 2026, Manchester City agreed to a deal with Nottingham Forest to sign the Three Lions midfielder for a club record Ksh19.14 billion.
BBC stated that sources claimed that the deal is worth up to Ksh21.45 billion, which would represent a British record fee, eclipsing the Ksh20.63 billion Liverpool paid Newcastle for striker Alexander Isak last summer.
Tuchel, however, insisted that while the move is on the cards, the player’s focus is on the important topic as England angles for the final group match against Panama this Saturday, June 27, 2026, in Philadelphia, USA.
Right mindset
There are no distractions and no medical before the match. The focus has been on his recovery and training and getting him available for the team. So there are no distractions from the main topic: our match against Panama. We want to win the match and top the group, and we need Elliot in the right mindset,” he explained in a press conference before the clash.
The boss also expressed readiness to greenlight the transfer with minimal interference to their preparations for the World Cup games.
The transfers are going on in world football while we are playing: there have been big players moving. We understand things are going on behind the scenes, and we will facilitate the transfer after the act and not before,” he added.
Anderson is preparing for England’s final Group L game against Panama at the World Cup on Saturday and told BBC Sport this week how he has pushed his club future to one side.
“It is pretty easy really, I am just focusing on the present. I am blocking it all out,” he said. “I have got a plan, and it’s to perform for England. I’m putting myself in the best position to cross the line and do that.”