Newcastle United are set to complete the signing of Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest and the Sweden international 'will only get better' at St James' Park
Anthony Elanga
Anthony Elanga
Some players might think they have made it as they board a private jet to finalise a £55m move to Newcastle United. Anthony Elanga is certainly not one of them.
Rather than taking his foot off the gas, the driven 23-year-old will be desperate to go to the next level. Just ask Neil Ryan, who coached Elanga through the age groups at former club Manchester United.
"I don't think we have seen the finished article," he told ChronicleLive. "Knowing Anthony's mentality, he will only get better.
"He won't stand still. He won't ease up. His individual work, his preparation, his recovery, everything he does, is like a Cristiano Ronaldo-type athlete.
"He lives and breathes for his career. That's him day in, day out. I don't see that stopping."
Day in, day out is right. Elanga was even in the middle of a boot camp in the Algarve before the forward flew out to Newcastle to undergo his medical.
Anthony Elanga running 100m in less than 11 seconds during a boot camp in Portugal
Anthony Elanga running 100m in less than 11 seconds during a boot camp in Portugal
You can see why Ryan highlighted Elanga's dedication. This is a player who spends two-and-a-half hours in the purpose-built recovery room in his home after games; who works with a fitness coach and sports therapist in his own time; who kept boredom at bay during lockdown by only kicking the ball with his supposedly weaker left foot to improve it...
"I see a lot of players nowadays who are a little too cool to train too hard whereas Anthony was the exact opposite," Ryan recalled. "He would train to his maximum every moment he got and is still the same.
"That mentality is the real driving force behind him. He's a very hard person to beat and never gives up. He had this single-mindedness to be a footballer.
"He was just a pleasure to work with because he would be willing to go above and beyond every day with his training. He always wanted to do more. You had to drag him off the pitch. He was that type of individual.
"His parents need a lot of credit because he's just such a well-mannered, respectful boy who was willing to dedicate every day of his life to football and being a player so his success doesn't surprise me."
No wonder Eddie Howe is a huge fan. Elanga may have been directly involved in 17 Premier League goals for Nottingham Forest last season, but this is a hungry, coachable talent who can get even better in the right hands.
Anthony Elanga in his younger days at Manchester United
Anthony Elanga in his younger days at Manchester United
Elanga also remains as determined as he did when he set out to follow in his father Joseph's footsteps as a professional footballer.
The family moved to the North West when Elanga was 11 - hence the twang - and the Swede had to quickly adapt to life in a new country before being picked up by Manchester United.
Elanga went on to train with Manchester United's first team at the age of just 15, but the academy graduate ultimately had to leave the club for Nottingham Forest a couple of years ago to fulfil his potential, which has only spurred him on further.
Neil Wood, another former Manchester United youth coach, felt Elanga deserved 'more opportunities than he got' at Old Trafford but the Red Devils' loss is now very much Newcastle's gain.
"It's a massive club and Anthony will relish it at Newcastle," he explained to ChronicleLive. "I think the fans will love him up there. He's the type of player that will get them off their seats.
"He's really exciting to watch and when he's in full flow, and at the top of his game, he can be unstoppable.
"He's still learning. He's still getting better. He's still wanting to add more goals and assists to his game, which is the challenge for him, but knowing Anthony, he will probably hit the ground running. He will be determined to make an immediate impact there."