Nottingham Forest head coach Oliver Glasner has admitted the club accepted Elliot Anderson's departure long before the England international completed his record-breaking move to Manchester City.
Anderson left the City Ground earlier this month in a £116 million deal, which briefly stood as the biggest transfer in British football before Chelsea surpassed it with the signing of Morgan Rogers.
Glasner has now revealed Forest never expected to keep the midfielder despite his importance to the team.
Glasner: Decision had already been made
Speaking to talkSPORT, Glasner explained that Anderson's exit was effectively decided before he officially took charge at Nottingham Forest.
"No, no, it was decided that he will leave," Glasner said.
"I think that's what we have to accept. We are not at the end of the food chain in football. Probably our best players will always have big offers."
The Austrian insisted Forest did not sell because they urgently needed the money.
Instead, he believes the transfer provides an opportunity to strengthen the squad across multiple positions rather than replacing one player directly.
"I think it's not possible to get a better player right now than Elliot Anderson was for Nottingham Forest, but maybe we can add one or two more players in other positions where we can get better as a team."
Forest focused on long-term progress
Glasner inherits a Forest side that finished 16th in the Premier League last season while also reaching the Europa League semi-finals.
The former Crystal Palace manager says his immediate priority is bringing consistency back to the club.
"We want to establish ourselves in the top half of the Premier League," Glasner explained.
"But everybody has to accept it's only Nottingham Forest's fifth season back in the Premier League after around 20 years outside it."
The Austrian believes steady progress rather than immediate success should remain the club's focus.
Emotional Palace return awaits
Glasner will return to Selhurst Park later this season after leaving Crystal Palace following a hugely successful spell.
The 51-year-old guided Palace to three trophies, including the FA Cup and UEFA Conference League, before taking over at Forest.
Despite expecting an emotional afternoon, Glasner says he is looking forward to facing his former club.
"I had more than two amazing years at Crystal Palace and I really enjoyed every single day there," he said.
What this means
Forest have accepted that selling top players will remain part of their long-term strategy, but Glasner believes reinvesting the Anderson fee can make the squad stronger overall. The club's focus now shifts towards improving consistency and establishing themselves in the Premier League's top half.
Key points
- Oliver Glasner says Elliot Anderson's exit had already been decided.
- Anderson joined Manchester City in a £116 million deal.
- Forest did not sell because of financial pressure, according to Glasner.
- The manager wants to reinvest across the squad rather than replace one player.
- Forest are targeting a consistent place in the Premier League's top half.
What's next?
Nottingham Forest are expected to continue strengthening their squad before the transfer window closes as Glasner looks to build a team capable of sustained Premier League progress.
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