Newcastle United's £55m summer transfer signing has struggled to make an impact
Anthony Elanga.
Anthony Elanga.(Image: Getty Images)
View Image
Anthony Elanga remains confident that he can be a success at Newcastle United amid a stuttering start to his career at the club.
The winger was one of United's marquee summer signings after joining from Nottingham Forest in a £55million deal. Elanga had been chased by Eddie Howe for more than a year, with the Magpies manager having tried to sign him 12 months earlier.
Elanga's move prompted much excitement, with the former Manchester United man having enjoyed an stellar season with Forest, producing goals and assists thanks to his electric pace as the Midlands side qualified for Europe.
However, he has struggled to replicate that form at Newcastle, and has seen his role reduced to that of substitute in recent games, with the likes of Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes preferred on the right side of Newcastle's attack.
Elanaga says he remains patient and believes his time will come with the club with United set to play more than 50 games this season in all competitions.
Speaking to SVT Sport in Sweden, whilst on international duty, the 25-year-old said: “In football, things happen quickly. You can play one, two games and then start on the bench for ten games in a row. So you just have to be ready all the time.
“We have the League Cup, the Champions League, the FA Cup which hasn’t even started yet, then we have the Premier League too.
“So it is important for me to be healthy so the opportunities will come.
“You always get hungry, you always want to start and try to help the team. When you start and play several games, you build momentum. It is important for a football player to have that.”
Elanga has yet to score for Newcastle since his summer switch, and outside of the Champions League games he has struggled to provide assists for his teammates.
However, he has still been called up by new Sweden boss Graham Potter for their World Cup qualifiers against Switzerland and Slovenia. They remain bottom of Group B and their chances of qualification are remote, although they could still secure a play-off spot.
Here at ChronicleLive, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Newcastle United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest NUFC news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Everything is Black and White podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.