Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga will soon be Newcastle United team-mates
Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga will soon be Newcastle United team-mates
AAA? It is a fitting acronym for Newcastle United's new look frontline. After all, the rapid Anthony Elanga, Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon look like they are battery-powered.
Elanga, , was statistically the quickest forward in the last season.
Among the few wingers who came close to matching Elanga's top recorded speed (36.7km/hr) was Gordon.
In fact, of those players to have played at least 1,000 minutes in the top-flight in 2024-25, Gordon actually led the way for the number of sprints per 90 minutes (28.8).
Elanga (26.2) was not far behind, in third place, while the Sweden international was joint top alongside Gordon for the proportion of distance covered while sprinting (5.1%).
Digging deeper, Elanga also came out on top for the average distance of his ball carries (14.3m), the average distance each of his carries progressed the ball up the field (11.9m) and the proportion of total distance covered per carry that was progressive (75.5%).
Newcastle were already dangerous on the break - the Magpies, tellingly, won the majority of their league games last season with less possession than their opponent - but Elanga will only enhance that threat as Rio Ferdinand explained.
"I think he's a wonderful signing," the former England captain said of Elanga. "The pace they have got there now is crazy.
"They could afford to sit back on the counter now. They have got players who can hurt you from all sides of the pitch.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing how he goes. I interviewed him a couple of times. I've known him as a young kid at Manchester United. He's an unbelievable professional.
"Newcastle have not only signed a player who's in great form and who has put up some good numbers, but somebody who adds to the professionalism of the club.
"He will make sure he becomes part of the environment that's working so hard to become a club that improves year in, year out under the guidance of Eddie Howe."
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