Just unveiled, Man City's blockbuster new signing has already made MU hot under the collar.

Although he hasn't played a single minute for Man City, Elliot Anderson wasted no time in igniting the feud with Manchester United by making a taunting remark during his official introduction to the team.

Manchester City officially announced Elliot Anderson as their newest signing. The 23-year-old midfielder signed a five-year contract after the former Premier League champions agreed to pay Nottingham Forest around £116 million.

This figure makes Anderson the most expensive player in Man City's history. He also briefly held the record for the most expensive transfer in English football, before Chelsea broke the record with the Morgan Rogers deal worth £117 million from Aston Villa.

Before the pressure from the massive transfer fee could even set in, Anderson had already made his name a hot topic. When asked about the Manchester derby, the England international declared:

“It's one of the biggest derbies in the world. Ever since I've known football, City have always been the kings of Manchester. This will be a great match, and I can't wait to be part of such a rivalry.”

This statement was quickly seen as a provocation sent to the red half of Manchester. Man United were reportedly interested in Anderson, but ultimately did not pursue the deal due to the price set by Nottingham Forest as well as the player's own preferences.

Anderson was born in November 2002 and was only 10 years old when Sir Alex Ferguson left MU in 2013. Therefore, most of his time watching top-level football coincided with the period when Man City rose to prominence and won many domestic titles.

In the last 10 seasons, Man City have won the Premier League six times, while MU's best achievement was finishing runners-up in 2017/18 and 2020/21. Since Anderson was born, Man City have eight Premier League titles, while MU have five.

These numbers partly explain Anderson's statement on his debut day for Man City, although the claim “City are the kings of Manchester” will certainly make the upcoming derby even more noteworthy.

Apart from his statements about MU, Anderson affirmed that he chose Man City because of their winning culture and ability to compete for titles. The English midfielder believes he has not yet reached his limit and hopes to continue developing under the guidance of coach Enzo Maresca.

Anderson will have the chance to turn his words into action when Man City visit Old Trafford on September 13. With a price tag of £116 million and the declaration “King of Manchester”, the new Man City signing will undoubtedly become one of the most watched figures in the derby.