Newcastle United were forced to sell Elliot Anderson to comply with PSR. (Photo credit: Getty Images)placeholder image
Newcastle United were forced to sell Elliot Anderson to comply with PSR. (Photo credit: Getty Images) | Getty Images
The pain of selling Elliot Anderson still lingers for Newcastle United.
England could name two Geordies in their starting XI for this evening’s World Cup qualifier against Andorra at Wembley (kick-off 5pm).
The Magpies were forced to sell academy graduate Anderson last year, with his £35million transfer to Nottingham Forest helping his boyhood club to comply with Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
Anderson has since gone on to flourish at the City Ground, as Forest last season finished 7th in the Premier League table and qualified for the Europa League, as well as reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
He also starred for England under-21s as they retained their European Championship title in the summer.
Should the 22-year-old take to the field at Wembley tonight, it’ll be a feeling of pride but also regret on Tyneside after pressures to comply with financial rules forced United to offload one of their finest academy products for years.
Dan Burn on Elliot Anderson’s £35m exit from Newcastle United
Commenting on Anderson’s call-up, former Toon teammate and fellow Geordie Burn said: "Elliot is a top player, we were really gutted to lose him from Newcastle. His physicality for a player of his size, the way he can keep people away from the ball and get up the pitch, is a big strength.
"He is always wanting the ball and so calm when he gets it. He has an eye for passes that you need against Andorra. Really happy for Elliot, I know he had a great Euros in the summer and he's a great lad on top of that."
Elliot Anderson open up about Newcastle United move
But there is a flip side and Anderson himself believes an England call-up probably wouldn’t have happened if he remained at St James’ Park.
At the time of leaving, Anderson was deemed to have been behind the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Joelinton, Joe Willock Sean Longstaff in the midfield pecking order.
“It was sort of a tough move at the time, but I think ultimately, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here now if I didn’t make the move,” Anderson admitted.
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“So, I think sometimes you’ve got to sort of step out of your comfort zone and believe in yourself, which is sort of what I’ve done. I believed I was ready to go and play in the Premier League every week. So yeah, as I say, I don’t think I would be in this position now if I didn’t do it.”
He added: “It’s a really proud moment for me and my family which I’m really happy about. The level of players around England is very high so just to be talked about within this group is really positive.
“There’s a lot of the lads from the previous Euros in the squad now which shows that pathway to progress to the first team and I know a lot of the lads. It’s helped make the transition smoother and feel more at home.
“There are some top players in this position so it’s a privilege to be called up to play here. It’s good to be competing with these players and it’ll only bring out the best in my game.”
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