Manchester City's new midfielder Elliot Anderson says he is eager to experience the Manchester derby for the first time as a City player, having joined the Premier League champions ahead of the 2025-26 season. The 23-year-old cited the club's relentless winning culture and the prospect of working under head coach Enzo Maresca as the decisive factors behind his move to the Etihad Stadium.

Why Anderson Chose City

Anderson, who recorded a league-high 3,323 touches in the Premier League last season, made clear that his ambitions aligned with a club built around collecting trophies. 'I think it's just them being winners. They're relentless, and that's the sort of team I want to be a part of, champions and people who win trophies and am really looking forward to working with Enzo Maresca,' he said in an interview with JioHotstar.

Anderson added that conversations with former Chelsea players who had worked under Maresca reinforced his confidence in the appointment. 'I've watched his teams over the past couple of years and spoken to a few of the lads from Chelsea, and they all rate him very highly,' he noted.

A Rapid Rise That Even Surprised Him

The midfielder, who developed through Newcastle United's academy, acknowledged that the pace of his ascent to the top flight had caught him somewhat off guard. 'I'm a little bit surprised! I guess it's happened quite quickly, but I think I always believed that I could get to this point. This is where I want to be, and now that I'm here, I'll keep pushing and trying to take this club forward,' he said.

Notably, Anderson's 3,323 touches last season placed him above every other midfielder in the Premier League — a statistical marker of his high-involvement style that City's possession-based system is expected to amplify further.

On the Manchester Derby

One of the fixtures Anderson is most looking forward to is the Manchester derby against Manchester United. Having followed the rivalry as an outsider, he now steps into it as a City player. 'It's one of the biggest derbies in the world. For as long as I've known Manchester, City have been the kings of Manchester. So yeah, it'll be a great fixture, and I can't wait to be involved in something like that,' he stated.

This comes amid a period of sustained dominance by City in the local rivalry, with the club having claimed multiple Premier League titles in recent years while United have undergone successive rebuilds.

Filling the Shadow of Kevin De Bruyne

Anderson also spoke candidly about the weight of stepping into a midfield long defined by Kevin De Bruyne, the Belgian playmaker who spent years as one of the central figures of City's success. 'I probably said it last year, Kevin De Bruyne is someone I've hugely looked up to over the past seven or eight years. Growing up through the academy at Newcastle, I always wanted to play like him, and I've watched him all the time. To be sat here in the team that he was doing it for is so special!' Anderson said.

The admission underscores the significance of the move — not just professionally but personally — for a player who grew up idolising the very midfielder whose role he is now expected to help fill. With the Manchester derby, a new manager, and the challenge of sustaining City's trophy-winning standards all ahead, Anderson has signalled that reaching the Etihad is only the start of what he intends to be a defining chapter of his career.