Arne Slot urged to sign star who can be 'Liverpool's own Declan Rice' in transfer window

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Dean Saunders reckons it's a no-brainer for Liverpool to target Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson in 2026, saying the sought-after England midfielder can be the Reds' very own Declan Rice .

Anderson, 23, has enjoyed a phenomenal year for Forest and looks primed for a key role at the 2026 World Cup after muscling his way into Thomas Tuchel's plans. And his impressive displays in the Premier League have not gone unnoticed among Forest's domestic rivals, with a number keen on signing him next year.

Manchester United and Manchester City have both been linked with Anderson in recent months. But Saunders has urged Liverpool to get in on the action as he believes the former Newcastle man could go on to emulate Rice, who has taken his game to a new level since moving to Arsenal in a £100million-plus transfer.

“The best players in the world never give the ball away. That is what separates the best players from the rest,” Saunders told AceOdds.com . “We saw Elliot Anderson at youth level, also when he broke through in the Premier League , and he never gave the ball away.

“We still had to see if he could do it on the big stage, and he can. He never gives the ball away. When he is playing against the best players in the world, they can`t get the ball off him. When they press him, he just turns the other way.

“He passes the ball, moves and looks forward. The best players are always looking to go forward, and that is what he does. His football brain is amazing. He has to add some goals to his game, but he can play any position in that midfield. Number six, number eight, number ten. He is like Declan Rice. He can do a bit of everything.”

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Saunders would go on to express the importance of a player capable of playing such a role, pointing out how Ryan Gravenberch was a big part of Liverpool's title win last season. But having Anderson in that role, he feels, would improve Liverpool.

He continued: “Gravenberch did well for Liverpool last season, but he is not up to the same level. Being in that position is an art where you have to think about the worst case scenario and protect the backline all the time. You have to think about what could happen if Salah loses the ball, or if Gakpo makes a bad decision. Kante could do it, he was the best one in my opinion.

“But I think Elliot Anderson could do it as well, so for me he would be a perfect fit for the Liverpool team. In that position you have to smell danger, and Liverpool are not doing that well in that aspect. But Elliot Anderson could go into any team in the world.”

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