Newcastle United are to reveal one of the most exciting attacking young stars in the Premier League as they have a £55m deal completed to bring in Nottingham Forest striker Anthony Elanga.Â
The Sweden international is to arrive at St. James’ Park in the next few days, according to insider sources who are privy to the transfer talks.
Elanga’s performances have seen him become one of England’s hottest properties as the 2024-25 season concluded. His 11 assists and six goals to Nuno Espirito Santo played a pivotal role in helping Nottingham Forest have such a good league campaign.
As Newcastle heads back into Champions League action on the basis of a fifth-place finish in the Premier League, adding to their front line has become an absolute imperative.
Notably, Elanga would be Newcastle’s first big summer recruit, only preceded by free signing of 18-year-old Antonio Cordero from Malaga. The Magpies clearly seek players with raw talent, and Elanga is the epitome of it.
Initially signed by Manchester United’s Forest for £15m in 2023, Elanga has already trebled his market value in just two years.
He began life at Old Trafford at the tender age of 12, reaching a high of 55 senior appearances before joining the City Ground.
Why is Newcastle so keen to sign Elanga?
The statistics speak for themselves. Elanga is one of the highest-scoring Premier League attacking wingers. Within his age group, he’s in the elite percentiles for the majority of key attacking statistics, as revealed through Opta and FBref data.
He consistently performs in play-creating situations, shot accuracy, and successful dribbles — all signs of his productivity in the box.
One aspect Elanga excels at particularly is his crossing. Hitting 6.65 crosses per 90 minutes, he significantly outpaces Newcastle’s current crop of wingers such as Harvey Barnes, Anthony Gordon, and Jacob Murphy. Being able to deliver delivery after delivery into the box again and again provides Newcastle with a new angle on their attacking ethos.
Besides, his ball-forwarding skills and ability to outpace defenders set him apart. Elanga’s directness and flair would introduce pace and unpredictability to Newcastle’s attack — something that would be essential in domestic and European competition alike.
The 23-year-old is not only a wide player. He is adept enough to play centrally when the situation dictates, providing manager Eddie Howe with tactical options. With Champions League football coming back to Tyneside, this prospective signing is an indicator that Newcastle are set to compete at the very top — not only with grit, but also with flair and finesse.
