Elliot Anderson is delighted to follow in the footsteps of one of his footballing idols in Kevin De Bruyne, after finalising his big-money move to Manchester City. 

Anderson was finally unveiled as a City player on Thursday, completing a £116m switch from Nottingham Forest that had been on the cards since the start of July.

He is the second-most expensive British player in history following Chelsea's £117m swoop for his England team-mate Morgan Rogers earlier this week, and the 23-year-old is expected to assume a key role in City's midfield going into the Enzo Maresca era.

Last season, Anderson had the most touches (3,300), won possession the most times (306), won the most duels (297) and drew the most fouls (80) of any player in the Premier League, despite Forest battling against relegation and ultimately finishing 16th.

He also had the second-most touches of any England player at the World Cup (574) as the Three Lions took the bronze medal, behind new City team-mate Marc Guehi (607).

Though Anderson was often the deepest midfielder in Thomas Tuchel's England setup, the City legend he most looks up to is Belgian playmaking maestro De Bruyne, who made 422 appearances and supplied 278 goal involvements (108 goals, 170 assists) for the club between 2015 and 2025.

"Kevin De Bruyne is someone who I've hugely looked up to over the past seven or eight years," Anderson said in an interview with City's media channels.

"As I came up through the academy at Newcastle, I always wanted to play like him. I watched him all the time and to be here, in the same team he was doing it for, is so special.

"I like to be intense when I play, to use lots of energy around the pitch and get the fans going. I think I bring a bit of everything; quality, physicality, energy. 

"I'll take the ball at any time; I like having the ball at my feet. I like to be involved, to get the team forward and get all the great attacking players here on the ball. 

"I'd like to think I can get the fans excited, get them off their feet, and bring some energy to the team." 

Anderson had been linked with several of the Premier League's biggest clubs before joining City, including their rivals Manchester United.

And he is in no doubt that he has joined the correct Manchester club, saying: "City are winners, they're relentless, and that's the sort of team I want to be a part of. 

"They're champions, they win trophies. Over the last 10 or 12 years, they've dominated.

"For as long as I've known Manchester, City have been the kings of Manchester. It'll be a great fixture [against United], and I can't wait to be involved in something like that."