Ryan Giggs and Phil Bardsley's Failed Bid for Anderson

Ryan Giggs tried one last time.

On a sun‑drenched golf course in Portugal earlier this summer, the Manchester United great and former team‑mate Phil Bardsley spotted England midfielder Anderson and moved in. One of United’s most decorated players, a defender who knows the club inside out, and the brightest young English midfielder on the market – all stood on the same fairway, with the future of Manchester’s midfield up for debate.

They made their pitch for Old Trafford. Anderson chose the Etihad.

The 23‑year‑old’s move from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City briefly made him the most expensive British player in history, smashing through the £100m barrier and underlining just how far the transfer market has shifted. Then, as if the fee wasn’t incendiary enough, he lit the blue touch paper on day one by declaring City the “kings of Manchester” in his first outing.

For United fans, the sting is obvious. Giggs himself had intervened. It still wasn’t enough.

Giggs and Bardsley’s failed charm offensive

Bardsley has now lifted the lid on that chance encounter in Portugal, revealing just how close United tried to get.

“I was in Portugal earlier in the summer playing golf with Giggs and we saw Anderson on the golf course and had a chat with him to try and persuade him to join United,” Bardsley told Casinolyze. “He was still unsure what he wanted to do but north of £100m for a defensive midfielder like him? If I’m spending that money, I want a player who will add 30-40 goals to my team a season. That’s what I’m looking for at that fee. That’s value for money.”

The message is clear. United loved the player. They hated the price.

Club officials had explored the possibility of hijacking City’s move, but once Forest pushed beyond the £100m mark, the red half of Manchester stepped away. Sentiment, even with Giggs on the phone and Bardsley on the fairway, could not override the numbers.

United pivot to Tielemans and Santos

Walking away forced Michael Carrick and the United hierarchy to rethink their midfield rebuild. Instead of blowing their budget on one defensive midfielder, they spread it.

Deals were wrapped up for Chelsea’s Andrey Santos and Aston Villa captain Youri Tielemans, with the Belgian in particular drawing glowing reviews from Bardsley.

“Signing Youri Tielemans for £35m is a great bit of business. He is a proven Premier League player, he can deliver and he’s won trophies,” he said.

That contrast – £35m for a decorated, title‑winning international versus a nine‑figure fee for a holding midfielder – frames United’s stance on the market. Ambitious, but not reckless.

Bardsley didn’t stop there. “I think Manchester City and Tottenham certainly overpaid for Anderson and Sandro Tonali. I knew it was getting to a stage with Elliot where he’d be £100m plus and I just didn’t feel comfortable about going to that sort of price for him as a player. Listen, he’s outstanding. I really like him.”

Respect for the talent. Doubt about the valuation. Classic old‑school defender’s view of a hyper‑inflated era.

Anderson’s choice: the champions, not the history

While United wrestled with figures, Anderson’s own thinking was more straightforward. He wanted the champions.

Fresh from a standout role under Thomas Tuchel at the 2026 World Cup with England, the midfielder saw City as the ideal platform to push his game to another level. The lure of a squad stacked with serial winners and a club that has turned domestic dominance into routine proved decisive.

“As soon as I knew City wanted me, I was absolutely determined to make this move happen,” Anderson said after sealing his five‑year deal. “You want to test yourself at the highest level. Being at City means I have that opportunity.”

His rise has been rapid, but not accidental in his eyes. “It’s happened quite quickly, but I think I always believed I could get to this point, and this is where I want to be.”

The golf‑course hesitation Bardsley spoke of didn’t last long. Once City’s interest hardened, the decision followed.

Maresca’s first major statement

For City, Anderson’s arrival is more than just another big signing. It is the first flagship move of the post‑Pep Guardiola era.

Enzo Maresca, installed after his stint at Chelsea, has been tasked with keeping City on top while reshaping the squad in his own image. Anderson is the first major piece of that puzzle – a World Cup‑hardened midfielder with the energy and range to anchor a new cycle.

The midfielder has already heard glowing reports about Maresca from former colleagues and is eager to plug into the Italian’s system. City, for their part, have sent a clear message: the standards set under Guardiola are not up for negotiation.

The timing underlines that intent. City face Arsenal in the Community Shield next weekend, then begin their Premier League title defence at home to Bournemouth. Anderson will not be eased into this. He is walking straight into a side expected to win, again.

United, meanwhile, will hope that Tielemans and Santos justify the more measured route. City have gambled big on a defensive midfielder they believe can define an era. United decided that price was too steep.

In a city split by colour and history, one golf‑course conversation in Portugal has only sharpened the divide.