In Sandro Tonali, Newcastle United are enjoying the rise of a truly special player. Walk around the city and ask fans for their opinion of the Italian maestro, and many would say he is the very best they have witnessed at St. James' Park.
It's just one masterclass after another. Tottenham Hotspur couldn't cope on Wednesday evening, dumped out of the Carabao Cup following Tonali's brilliant midfield performance.
Eddie Howe engineered a covert contractual renewal when the star was serving a suspension for betting breaches, and so the Magpies need not worry about their central talisman playing elsewhere any time soon.
But Tonali alone cannot uphold the midfield, and it looks like change is afoot in the engine room, with United gearing up to sign a new central midfielder.
Newcastle angling for new midfielder
Joelinton has been a stalwart at Newcastle for many years, but the 29-year-old has come under fire at times already this season, with his questionable performances leaving some, such as blogger Thomas Hammond, to question whether this is "the start of the end" for the powerful Brazilian, who seems the weak link in this evolving midfield.
joelinton-newcastle
The emergence of Lewis Miley certainly suggests Joelinton's place in the starting line-up is not as secure as it once was, and the continued question marks over Joe Willock's long-term future in the Newcastle midfield add fuel to the fire.
Well, given that Howe is determined to re-sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest, it does seem the cabinet could be set for a reshuffle.
As per Spanish sources, Newcastle are rivalling the mighty Real Madrid for the Three Lions star, who has been valued as high as £120m by Evangelos Marinakis. Technical director Ross Wilson will know he needs to act swiftly.
Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson
Moreover, Football Insider have followed reports with the claim that Liverpool and Manchester United have both placed the 22-year-old at the top of their lists.
Why Howe wants Elliot Anderson back at SJP
In the summer of 2024, Newcastle were being pressured by the Premier League's PSR parameters, and sold two top talents - Anderson and Yankuba Minteh - to divisional rivals, easing away from financial bother.
Elliot Anderson for Nottingham Forest
Elliot Anderson for Nottingham Forest
Anderson signed for Nottingham Forest in a deal worth around £35m, and he's only gone from strength to strength at the City Ground, with analyst Ben Mattinson hailing him as a "powerhouse" of a "midfield warrior".
Indeed, you need only look at the metrics to see how he has evolved in his short time in red, with the current campaign seeing him take so many touches of the ball, creating and defending and leading by example.
Elliot Anderson - PL record for Forest
Stats (*per game)
Matches (starts)
Goals
Assists
Touches*
Accurate passes*
Chances created*
Dribbles*
Ball recoveries*
Tackles + interceptions*
Duels (won)*
Data via Sofascore
He is the complete number eight, and in this, just like Tonali, who is now considered "the best midfielder in the Premier League" by English legend Paul Scholes.
Anderson isn't there - yet. However, he is earlier in his development and surely on track to rival the likes of Tonali if he continues to add strings to his bow.
Now part of Thomas Tuchel's England set-up, Anderson is finding a home alongside the more adventurous Declan Rice. Perhaps Bruno Guimaraes could serve as this type of partner, with Tonali elegantly keeping things moving from the side.
This is all to say that Anderson could be a stunning addition to Howe's team, and maybe even come to surpass Tonali down the line.
Pulling him back over to Tyneside won't be easy, but Howe has already shown his hand, speaking of his desire to bring the talent back home in a press conference last month, and must now hope that Anderson is swayed toward the nostalgia of returning to his boyhood club.
elliot-anderson-england
In any case, that aside, Newcastle might actually be able to canvass the most compelling proposal to the English talent.