Former England international Kalvin Phillips warned Elliot Anderson ahead of his transfer to Man City

Elliot Anderson was reminded of Kalvin Phillips' experience joining Manchester City by a former England international this week. After two offers from Nottingham Forest were strongly rejected, City are said to be preparing a third record transfer package with an expected value exceeding the £125m threshold. With Enzo Maresca expected to be officially announced as the new Manchester City manager this week, the Italian's vision will likely call for a midfielder who is reliable, dynamic but still in control of his playmaking abilities. However, the financial scale of the deal has led analysts to question the player's value and City's willingness to make a deal that would set a new transfer record in England. As the 23-year-old continues to take on a starring role in Thomas Tuchel's England squad at the World Cup, one name has highlighted the dangers of joining a crowded squad at City. Speaking to Andy's Bet Club, former England international Chris Waddle sent a warning to Elliot Anderson ahead of the player's predicted record-breaking transfer to Manchester City. "I can understand why Anderson wanted to join Manchester City. However, on the other hand, I also think about how things went for Kalvin Phillips when he went to Manchester City," Waddle warned. "He thought he would be the one sitting in the middle of the field before Rodri arrived – a player who would disrupt play, win the ball, distribute and keep the rhythm of the game going. But that didn't happen for him," he continued. "I'm not saying it will happen with Anderson, because he looks outstanding, but I always remember other players who have done well in that role, and Kalvin Phillips is an example. He played for England and looked impressive, but it didn't work out as expected at City. However, I think Anderson has many strengths. He has presence on the field, good motivation and is very effective in his pass rate. He doesn't divide the defense and is not a solver intelligence - he's a worker who knows how to read the game very well. He reminds me of Declan Rice." Elliot Anderson's stats in England's 0-0 draw against Ghana at the Boston Stadium – where he recorded 66 accurate passes from 74 attempts and three successful tackles – perfectly demonstrate the positional awareness that Maresca will need. However, Kalvin Phillips' £42million move from Leeds still weighs heavily on some, as he made just 16 league appearances under Pep Guardiola before falling into a string of loans, most recently a difficult spell at Sheffield United. Hugo Viana has begun to navigate a complex web of midfield doubts, including the futures of Rodri and Nico Gonzalez, while Newcastle have placed a £100m bid on Sandro Tonali - who City consider as part of any deal for Anderson.

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