Nottingham Forest head coach Oliver Glasner has confirmed the club planned for midfielder Elliot Anderson's departure well before his record-breaking 116 million pound transfer to Manchester City earlier this month.
The deal briefly marked the largest transfer in British football before Chelsea later surpassed the figure.
Rather than replacing the England international directly, Forest management intends to reinvest the funds across multiple squad positions to build overall depth.
Glasner emphasized that the decision regarding the player's departure was finalized prior to his arrival at the City Ground.
"No, no, it was decided that he will leave," said Glasner.
The manager acknowledged the reality of the club's position within the football landscape while addressing the transfer strategy.
"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," said Glasner.
The Austrian coach clarified that financial distress did not force the sale, framing the transaction as a strategic opportunity for squad enhancement.
"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," said Glasner.
The club has already begun its recruitment process by signing Austrian midfielder Xaver Schlager on a free transfer.
The 55-cap international reunites with Glasner after previously playing under him at Wolfsburg from 2019 to 2021 during a seven-year Bundesliga tenure that included 150 appearances with Wolfsburg and RB Leipzig.
Long-Term Stability as Primary Goal
Forest finished 16th in the Premier League last season while reaching the Europa League semi-finals.
Glasner noted that long-term stability remains the primary goal as the club navigates its fifth consecutive year back in England's top flight.
"We want to establish ourselves in the top half of the Premier League," said Glasner.
He urged patience regarding expectations for immediate performance spikes.
"But everybody has to accept it's only Nottingham Forest's fifth season back in the Premier League after around 20 years outside it," said Glasner.
The upcoming season will also feature Glasner returning to face his former club Crystal Palace, where he won three trophies including the FA Cup and UEFA Conference League during a two-year stint.
"I had more than two amazing years at Crystal Palace and I really enjoyed every single day there," said Glasner.
Nottingham Forest expects to finalize additional roster additions before the current transfer window closes.
