Elliot Anderson's journey from schoolboy prodigy to Manchester City's record signing reads like something straight out of a footballing fairytale, according to the BBC.

The report recalls that Anderson was once so highly rated at school that teachers reportedly discussed betting on him one day playing for England โ€” a wager that never materialised, but the sentiment behind it clearly wasn't misplaced. Thomas Tuchel has since shown genuine faith in the midfielder, handing him significant responsibility at the World Cup, and now Manchester City appear to be following suit.

The Premier League champions are understood to have made Anderson their most expensive signing to date, underlining just how highly Pep Guardiola's club rate his potential. While the BBC's piece focuses largely on his rise rather than confirmed transfer specifics, the message is clear: City see him as a genuine long-term asset rather than a squad filler.

For a player once tipped for stardom in the school corridors, this move represents the latest โ€” and biggest โ€” step in fulfilling that early promise.