Anderson's journey to England star and potential British record signing

Updated 16 minutes ago Elliot Anderson was the schoolboy footballer so good his teachers discussed placing a bet on him playing for England. The bet was never made - but Thomas Tuchel is backing him to be a winner at the World Cup and Manchester City are doing the same after agreeing a package worth a reported £130m to sign him from Nottingham Forest. Anderson's journey from the playing fields of Tyneside to the World Cup stage will continue at Etihad Stadium after transfer talks were finally successfully concluded between Forest and City. The midfielder is the one that painfully got away from Newcastle United but is still revered and respected in his home city as the "quiet and self-effacing" local boy made good. Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe called Anderson's £30m sale to Nottingham Forest in July 2024 "the most reluctant in my career", a deal effectively forced on the Magpies because they feared they were going to break profit and sustainability rules (PSR) and incur a points deduction following years of imbalanced trading. The sense of loss has become more acute as the 23-year-old emerged as a central component in England's World Cup plans - head coach Tuchel calls him "the full package". He is on course to assume the same role at Manchester City once the transfer's formalities are completed. It is also felt by Scotland, who hoped Anderson would play for the country as he has a Scottish grandmother. He was called up for the Euro 2024 qualifier in Cyprus and a friendly with England in September 2023, having represented the Scots at under-21 and junior level, only to pull out through injury before pledging allegiance to England. It is all a far cry from the young Geordie who used to kick a ball around with his elder brothers before emerging as an outstanding young player at Valley Gardens Middle School, then at the famous Wallsend Boys' Club, where Alan Shearer, Peter Beardsley and Michael Carrick honed their trade. England v Ghana Fifa World Cup 2026 23 June, 21:00 BST Watch on iPlayerListen on Sounds Watch on broadcaster One, broadcaster iPlayer and the sources website and app from 20:00 BST and listen to commentary on broadcaster Radio 5 Live and broadcaster Sounds. Live text commentary, analysis and video highlights on the sources website and app. Anderson off the Geordie production line Anderson's first steps in football came playing with his two elder brothers Louie and Wil, the latter gaining prominence as a contestant on reality TV show Love Island. Jonathan Roys, Anderson's former English and PE teacher at Valley Gardens, who was also his head of year, told sources: "His brothers had been through the school and I played against his dad. His brothers were decent, but I think being the youngest of three he was used to getting bossed about a little bit, but he took no quarter off anybody. He'd get stuck right in." Anderson put down a marker for future success when he was captain and scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 win when Valley Gardens won the English leg of Danone Nations Cup in 2014, a prestigious worldwide youth tournament. His parents, Iain and Helen, ensured studying was never sidelined, with lessons organised around time at Newcastle United's academy, his beloved club he was always destined to join. "Elliot was a quiet, self-effacing lad at school," says Roys. "He came from a great family. They made sure we organised his lessons around time he spent at Newcastle's academy. "As head of year you can sometimes deal with kids who might be causing problems but he was never any trouble. He just got on with it. Reports were usually glowing, both from school and Newcastle's academy." It was sport in which Anderson excelled - any sport. Roys says: "You could see he had something special as a footballer. He had something different when he played other sports as well. He could play with the ball. He was standard size, not a massive lad for his age, but he more than held his own. He was the standout player despite not being the biggest. "When we had him, he was so good we were saying 'shall we put a bet him to play for England?' We didn't in the end and of course he got into the Scotland set-up first." When he won that England call-up before making his debut against Andorra in September 2025, mum Helen said: "It would be a day we would never forget or take for granted. To think our son has walked out there to represent his country would be nothing short of incredible. It will be so emotional." Roys was not surpr