Elliot Anderson’s impending mega-money move to Manchester City will not impact the England midfielder’s focus on winning the World Cup, according to team-mate Jarell Quansah.
The 23-year-old has established himself as a key part of Thomas Tuchel’s side since making his debut last September and impressed on his major tournament bow as they overcame Croatia 4-2 in last week’s thriller.
Anderson also started England’s 0-0 draw with Ghana and heads into Saturday’s Group L finale against Panama fresh from the life-changing news that City have struck a deal to sign him from Nottingham Forest.
The agreement is said to be worth £116m and a medical has reportedly been lined up for when the team arrives in the Tri-State Area, but Quansah does not expect his team-mate’s focus to waver.
“I see a player that’s fully focused on what he wants, and I think at the moment what he wants is to win a World Cup,” the England defender told talkSPORT. “That ultimately is the goal.
“Obviously I’m not in his head or whatnot, but I’m sure he is fully focused on winning the World Cup for England, and you can’t drift too far away from that and he knows that.
“But he’s a proper focused young lad and he’ll go right to the top I think.”
Anderson has flourished since being moved to a deeper midfield role by England Under-21s boss Lee Carsley, who he played a starring role for in last summer’s European Championship triumph.
Quansah, another member of that victorious side, said: “I think he’s a very versatile player as well.
“This season he’s played a deeper role, played in a sort of a six and sometimes an eight, but he’s got probably everything you want as a midfielder, to be honest.
“I remember hearing about him at Bristol Rovers (when I went on loan there afterwards) and I think he was playing on the wing.
“Knowing he can do that and what he does in training sessions as well, he’s got a lot of attributes that are really good for an England squad and exactly what the manager wants, which is good.”
Tuchel has some interesting decisions to make this weekend as he looks to balance protecting players with producing the performance needed to top Group L.
England are all but assured of a place in the round of 32 ahead of facing already-eliminated Panama but must equal or better Ghana’s result against Croatia to top the pool.
Star midfielder Declan Rice has been under assessment ahead of Saturday’s match having limped out of Gillette Stadium on Tuesday, while Reece James sounds a major doubt.
A hamstring injury is said to have seen him miss training on Thursday and back-up Tino Livramento’s enforced departure opens the door to versatile Quansah stepping in at right-back.
“It will be cliche but it’s a dream come true, and there’s probably no better words to actually sum it up,” the Bayer Leverkusen defender said of his potential World Cup debut.
“Because when you’re younger, playing in the back garden, or whatever you’re doing, you always think about World Cups and the biggest stage of them all in my opinion.
“To be able to play with England it will be a massive, massive honour, and something I’m ready for, and something I’d look forward to.”
PA
