Elliot Anderson: What makes Nottingham Forest and England midfielder worth more than £100m?

The only thing that might divide opinion on Elliot Anderson this summer is his hefty price tag. The 23-year-old's profile as the perfect all-round midfielder is surely undisputed. So, how does he stack up against other midfielders in the same price bracket?

In short, Manchester City have agreed a deal for the cream of the crop.

Beyond the eye test, which will tell you how efficiently he moves up and down the pitch and how composed he is in possession, his off-the-ball work is exemplary. Better than Declan Rice. More efficient, even, than present-day Rodri.

Players like Anderson are difficult to come by and seem to be more greatly valued than ever before. Mikel Arteta calls Rice Arsenal's "lighthouse". Pep Guardiola once dubbed Rodri Manchester City's "driver". They are the centrepiece of their teams and almost every phase of play is controlled by them. Like a conductor cues their orchestra.

Both Rice and Rodri are situational midfielders, able to adapt to the demands of any game state. There are few who can balance both.

Chelsea signed two £100m plus midfielders in recent years, arguably kicking off the premium price trend for players in this position, in Enzo Fernandez (£106.8m) and Moises Caicedo (£115m), and yet neither can properly function without the other.

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Fernandez needs Caicedo's defensive stability and positioning in the same way Caicedo requires the Argentine's passing ability. They work best in tandem.

Rice and Rodri can go it alone. Anderson, too. That is not to say they are the loner type, they bring others into play, but each can operate isolated at the base of central midfield and does not depend on help to dictate pace. Here is where Anderson also excels.

Nottingham Forest's system, typically a 4-2-3-1, cannot function without Anderson's full range of attributes. In a season where Morgan Gibbs-White excelled - and was unlucky not to be selected for England this summer - Anderson still topped the Forest charts for overall chances created (54), big chances created (nine) and expected assists (4.8).

He also outshone his peers in the possession stakes, averaging 55 accurate passes per 90 (second best is Morato on 43.3), constantly looking to service the frontline through central passing lines and with crosses from wide. A total midfielder.

What does all this mean? Well, it allows Forest to play in the transitional way the team is structured, where games move between attack and defence at tempo. Anderson almost does the work of two midfielders, in that he recovers the ball most frequently and is the one to use it most effectively. He always wants to pass to those ahead of him.

Gary Neville is a big fan: "What I like is that he looks forward. He can accept the ball on the half turn and always knows where he is. He's got a forward eye, and I see too many crabs playing central midfield."

To be able to cover distances between both boxes in the way he can, a hybrid No 8/No 6, is an obvious advantage too, reducing the workload on others. Prospective managers will be hard pushed to find something they do not like, and at 23, he's still pliable.

The numbers tally favourably at international level as well.

All these datasets and digestible measures of performance are relevant to the price tag conversation. Their prevalence in football commentary is part of the reason Anderson will likely fetch a British record transfer fee. They reveal just how invaluable and unique a player like Anderson is.

And yet, scepticism in some corners will prevail. Rightly so, because the figures being spoken about are unfathomable in the real world. What else makes him worthy of the fee, then?

This Tyneside-born lad is more than just technique. His temperament makes an impression on all those he works closely with. England boss Thomas Tuchel has described him as the "full package". Eddie Howe calls him "the most reluctant transfer" he has ever sanctioned. Steve Bruce joked that his failure to spot and adapt to Anderson's vast potential at Newcastle is why he's no longer managing.

Guardiola is another known to be a huge admirer, which has fed into Man City's hot pursuit, while current boss Vitor Pereira says he "deserves the top of the world".

It speaks volumes that all four (yes, four!) of Nottingham Forest's managerial quartet used Anderson to the fullest this term. He featured in all 38 Premier League games. No player across Europe's top five leagues was responsible for a higher percentage share of their team's touches (14 per cent) or passes (15 per cent).

Evolving in such a way is not easy against a backdrop of relative chaos. The City Ground was essentially turmoil and turnover reoccurring this year. But Anderson got on with business without a fuss. And the fact he has not agitated for a move away from Forest despite the lure of big money and an upgrade in status also speaks to his professionalism.

It's no wonder he is coveted by so many. Beyond being a jack of all trades and master of most, his adaptability and tactical understanding suggests he could fit into any one of the league's elite crop of clubs. Both Manchester representatives chased him, and yet their typical styles of play are not the same. They are not even similar.

Theoretically, he could have gone to Liverpool and significantly upgraded their midfield options; he could even have moved to Premier League champions Arsenal and improved them. The monumental fee was enough to dissuade the Gunners, but his flourishing partnership with Rice in England's engine room is a persuasive test case.

Anderson is ready-made for the rigours of life at a top Premier League club. For Champions League football, too. His massive price tag demands as much. But all the evidence suggests he will be worth it.

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