Newcastle United have agreed a deal for Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga, but fans will be more excited about what he recently posted on Instagram.
After weeks of negotiations, it looks like Eddie Howe has finally got the man he has been so desperate for over the last 12 months.
Speculation around whether Anthony Elanga was going to join Newcastle United has circulated since last summer, when the Magpies put in a surprise deadline day bid for the 23-year-old. That bid was rejected, but now Newcastle have come to an agreement with Nottingham Forest to bring Elanga to Tyneside.
Personal terms were never an issue; Elanga and Howe have already agreed on the scope of improvement at Newcastle and the winger is genuinely excited at the prospect of working with Howe and joining his good friends at the club.
An issue with intermediaries caused Newcastle’s deal for Elanga to slow, but that was sorted on Monday to get the deal through.
Elanga will now have a medical before his deal is completed, but he has already got fans excited about something he has posted on his Instagram account.
Anthony Elanga puts the ball past Fraser Forster during a Premier League game between Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur.
Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images
Anthony Elanga posts stunning 100m sprint time after Newcastle United agreement
Newcastle are a team of fast players; the likes of Anthony Gordon and Tino Livramento are widely regarded as two of the fastest players at the club.
The pair work perfectly in Howe’s attacking system, allowing them to burst up the pitch and get a better opportunity on goal on the counter-attack.
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Harvey Barnes was the fastest Newcastle player last season, putting up an impressive 34.7km per hour. However, Elanga has posted a speed and time that blows it out of the water.
On his Instagram, Elanga shared an Instagram video of him putting in a stunning sprint time of 10.93 seconds, putting in a top speed of 39.75km per hour. Even an Olympic sprinter would be intimidated by his speed!
Alexander Isak thinks Gordon and Elanga are two of the fastest in the Premier League. His claim appears to have been proven correct after that video.
Anthony Elanga thinks he is one of the fastest Premier League players
Elanga’s raw pace can only mean good things for Newcastle. Howe never gave up on signing the Sweden international because he knew what his pace and ability could bring to the team. It is a big price tag, but one that the Magpies are more than happy to pay to get someone who fits their system so well.
While Elanga has also proven how fast he can be, he has previously stated how much he believes in his abilities, something Howe will love to hear.
In a 2024 interview, Elanga backed himself for his speed, saying: “I’d go as far as saying I am the fastest in the Premier League.”
Jacob Murphy thinks William Osula is Newcastle’s fastest player, but he could soon be changing his opinion when Elanga arrives.
Upon signing, it is clear that Newcastle will have one of, if not the fastest attack in the Premier League, striking fear into any defender they come up against.