Crystal Palace have been handed a fresh warning over the cost of their midfield search after Manchester City agreed a British-record deal for Elliot Anderson.
Sky Sports reports that Anderson is set to move from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City in a deal understood to be worth £116million.
That would make the England midfielder the most expensive British player ever and immediately reset the market below the elite bracket.
The same Sky Sports market analysis places Palace among the Premier League clubs still looking for central midfield additions this summer. It also states that Everton have already had an approach knocked back by Middlesbrough for Hayden Hackney.
Palace Cannot Let The Market Run Away
Hackney is not operating in Anderson’s price class, but the direction of travel is obvious.
Proven English midfielders with carrying power, defensive legs and Premier League-ready profiles are becoming harder to buy cleanly once bigger clubs start setting benchmarks.
Palace have already had one warning on that front.
Read Crystal Palace detailed why Hackney’s price gives Pierre Sage a clear Ozoh transfer decision, with Middlesbrough’s stance creating a sharper call around fee, structure and squad depth.
The danger now is timing.
If Palace want a first-team midfielder before Europa League preparation tightens, they cannot afford to let the market drift through July while richer clubs inflate every comparable deal around them.
Sage does not need Palace to chase Anderson-level madness. He does need clarity before the next tier of midfield targets becomes more expensive by association.
