Anderson Dismisses United Rumors: I Chose City

Anderson has shut down suggestions he ever came close to joining Manchester United, insisting his mind was set on Manchester City long before a few Old Trafford regulars tried to sway him on holiday.

Speaking at a fan event at City’s club store on Wednesday, the England international tackled the long-running rumour that United had once made him their top target before City sealed his signature. The story of a tug-of-war across Manchester has followed him since his move. He was happy to put it in its place.

Asked directly about reports that United players had lobbied him during the off-season, Anderson didn’t deny the meetings – just the idea that they changed anything.

“I was just golfing in Portugal and bumped into a few and had a nice chat and stuff like that, but I had a decision to make and I chose City,” he said.

The message was clear: polite conversations, no temptation.

A blue childhood, not a near miss

Anderson has wasted little time nailing his colours to the mast after his blockbuster switch to the Etihad Stadium. While United’s interest was real enough, he made it plain that his own background meant there was only ever one realistic outcome once he opted to leave his former club.

He has grown up with City’s rise. That matters to him.

“I’ve seen a few things. It was blown out of proportion,” Anderson said of the United links. “I was probably eight or nine when [Sergio] Aguero scored that goal. I’ve been watching City for the past 10 years. You’ve got a big decision to make – and I’m confident I’ve made the right one.”

This is not a player crossing a divide on a whim. It is someone who watched the defining moment of City’s modern era as a child and then tracked their ascent through his formative years.

Following De Bruyne’s path

For Anderson, the move is not just about trophies or wages. It is about stepping into the orbit of his footballing hero.

Kevin De Bruyne has shaped the way an entire generation of midfielders see the game, and Anderson is one of them. As a youngster, he studied the Belgian’s movement, his passing angles, his timing.

“De Bruyne was always the player I looked up to over the last 10 years,” he revealed. “I loved watching him. To be here at the same club and playing where he played is special.”

There is no promise of succession in those words, but there is a clear sense of inheritance. Anderson wants to build his own story in a space De Bruyne helped define.

Number five, with Stones’ blessing

His first competitive chapter in sky blue is fast approaching. Anderson is set for his debut in Sunday’s Community Shield against Arsenal at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, and he will walk out wearing the number five shirt.

It is a number with recent weight at City. John Stones, a key figure in the club’s era of dominance, wore it before him. Anderson admitted his England teammate has been central to easing his move to Manchester.

“I had a few numbers to choose from and obviously Stonesy was the last number five and he was really good with me in the summer and I thought it would be a great touch to take that,” he said.

A childhood shaped by Aguero, a game modelled on De Bruyne, a shirt number linked to Stones. Anderson knows exactly which side of Manchester he belongs to. The real question now is how quickly he can turn that conviction into dominance on the pitch.