The in-medium ${\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ mass and the ${\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}N$ interaction are investigated in an effective theory based on the linear realization of the SU(3) chiral symmetry. We find that a large part of the ${\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ mass is generated by the spontaneous breaking of chiral symmetry through the U${}_{A}$(1) anomaly. As a consequence of this observation, the ${\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ mass is reduced in nuclear matter where chiral symmetry is partially restored. In our model, the mass reduction is found to be 80 MeV at the saturation density. Estimating the ${\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}N$ interaction based on the same effective theory, we find that the ${\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}N$ interaction in the scalar channel is attractive sufficiently to form a bound state in the ${\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}N$ system with a several MeV binding energy. We discuss the origin of attraction by emphasizing the special role of the $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ meson in the linear sigma model for the mass generation of ${\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ and $N$.