Anthony Elanga has been unveiled as a Newcastle United player, but a detail revealed in the inner workings of the deal has hinted at another City Ground exit.
Elanga posted a heartfelt farewell message on Instagram on Saturday after his Newcastle switch had been confirmed on Friday evening, with plenty of the Forest squad wishing him well.
Nottingham Forest News confirmed that Forest will receive £55m upfront for Elanga, alongside the potential for add-ons that would take the fee towards £60m.
Alongside the disappointment felt from the City Ground faithful, Forest fans may have noticed a surprise detail surrounding the transfer in a fresh report, one that signifies that another exit is close.
Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga in action against Manchester United.
Photo by Cameron Smith – Danehouse/Getty Images
Anthony Elanga negotiations hint at another Nottingham Forest exit
Forest fans had mixed feelings about selling Elanga, with the thought that the £55m fee could at least allow the Reds to replace their Swedish star comfortably.
The recruitment team are already looking for alternatives, but that team may soon look different as Chief Football Officer Ross Wilson has himself been linked with a switch to the North East.
He has reportedly interviewed for Newcastle’s vacant Sporting Director role, and reading between the lines of a report from The Athletic, that move may well be in motion.
In a detailed account of Elanga’s move, the report said: “Eddie Howe pushed for a first-XI-ready player and Andy Howe was the main point of contact, driving the deal. Jamie Reuben, Newcastle’s minority stakeholder, enjoys a positive relationship with Evangelos Marinakis, Forest’s owner, and their direct dialogue proved important.
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“Ross Wilson, Forest’s chief football officer who has been interviewed for the vacant sporting director position on Tyneside, was not involved, though Edu, their new global head of football, is already exerting influence.”
As the Chief Football Officer, you’d expect that Wilson would be involved in some capacity during talks for a major sale, perhaps hinting that Evangelos Marinakis was happy to let Edu take the reins as he believes Wilson is soon to be out the door.
This idea is further supported by what Forest described Edu’s role at the club to be, suggesting that there may not be room or necessity for both to remain at the City Ground.
Edu’s Nottingham Forest role may have ousted Ross Wilson
Back in 2024, Nottingham Forest News revealed that Wilson was across all football business at Forest in his role as Chief Football Officer, taking a leading role as the club established itself in the Premier League.
However, if you read the statement on the Forest website about what Edu will provide as Head of Global Football, it’s hard to see how the two can coexist.
The statement said: “As Global Head of Football, Edu will oversee all football-related functions, including recruitment, performance, squad strategy, and player development.”
Therefore, it may make sense that Wilson would be heading out the door to Newcastle, subsequently making his lack of involvement in the Elanga negotiations less strange.