Manchester City's Elliot Anderson during the warm up before the match
Manchester City's Elliot Anderson during the warm up before the match
The 2026/27 campaign may well be a transitional period for Newcastle United after losing a handful of their most influential players during the summer window.
Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon all moved for pastures new, whilst Eddie Howe decided to leave his role as manager and was replaced by Matthias Jaissle.
The 38-year-old has yet to set the world alight during the opening few months at St James’ Park, with his decision to exclude two players from his senior ranks continuing to baffle supporters.
Newcastle United manager Matthias Jaissle
Newcastle United manager Matthias Jaissle
Why Bamba & Steur deserve more minutes under Jaissle at Newcastle
After the departures of Tonali and Guimaraes, it was crucial that the hierarchy landed the right calibre of player to provide the goods throughout the 2026/27 campaign and beyond.
Aladji Bamba and Sean Steur were two of the players selected by the board to provide the goods, but the pair have struggled for game time in the Premier League since their moves.
sean-steur-newcastle-hull
Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
In England’s top-flight this campaign, the new arrivals have only featured for a combined 252 minutes in the first seven games - with Steur the only one of the duo to start a league game.
However, the Dutchman has showcased his talent at being able to develop the play from deep-lying positions - as seen by his 88% pass accuracy rate this campaign.
As for Bamba during his time at Monaco prior to his move to Tyneside, he produced some remarkable figures out of possession, as seen by his tally of 3.6 tackles won per 90 in Ligue 1.
In transition, the French star also managed to impress, subsequently completing 70% of his dribbles - a figure which placed him in the top 5% of all midfielders in Europe’s top-five leagues.
Why Anderson would have been ahead of Steur & Bamba at Newcastle
Both of the aforementioned talents would have found themselves further down the pecking order had the club kept hold of Elliot Anderson in the summer of 2024.
The academy graduate was sold to Nottingham Forest to satisfy the division’s PSR rules, with the Englishman going to be an international for his nation and even costing a reported £116m this summer.
Elliot Anderson for Nottingham Forest-1
Elliot Anderson for Nottingham Forest-1
He joined Manchester City and has since taken his career to the next level and showcased why the Magpies made a huge mistake in allowing him to depart.
Anderson has completed a staggering 29.1 line-breaking passes per 90 this campaign - with such a figure the highest of any midfielder in England’s top-flight this term.
Most line-breaking passes (2026/27)
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10
Even without the ball, he’s been just as impressive for Enzo Maresca’s men - as seen by his remarkable tally of 8.5 ground duels won, which is the third highest of any player in his position in England.
How Newcastle already have their next Elliot Anderson
Very few Newcastle supporters would have predicted the remarkable rise achieved by Anderson over recent times, but it’s safe to say he’s developed into one of the midfielders in Europe at present.
For sure, he would be one of the first names on the teamsheet had he remained at his boyhood club, but the fans will now have to sit back and watch him thrive elsewhere.
Steur and Bamba will be hoping that they can emulate his success in the years ahead, but they will be challenging academy star Rory Finneran for a starting role in the years ahead.
The Irishman, who joined from Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 2024, has spent the majority of his time in the Magpies academy system - but is currently on loan at League One side Notts County.
Such a move has allowed him to emulate Anderson during the early stages of his career, with the £116m man joining Bristol Rovers on loan to kickstart his own journey as a professional.
rory-finneran-blackburn-rovers
Rory Finneran for Blackburn Rovers.
As for the 18-year-old, he’s already made a major impression during the opening months of his spell at Meadow Lane, which could see him follow in the Englishman’s footsteps.
He’s managed to complete 67% of the dribbles he’s attempted during his current loan spell, which demonstrates his excellent ability to progress the ball into dangerous areas.
Such a quality has been evident in Anderson’s game over recent years and enabled him to receive the nickname of the Geordie Maradona within the Newcastle faithful.
As for Finneran, he’s also displayed his phenomenal ability without the ball this term, subsequently making an impressive tally of 2.4 successful tackles per 90.
Such a figure, alongside his tally of 6.1 ball recoveries per 90, highlights his ability to disrupt the opposition’s progress - just as Anderson has done in the Premier League.
Elliot-Anderson-England
At 18, Finneran has a long period ahead of him before he can operate at a similar level to that of the Manchester City star, but the early signs are certainly extremely positive.
Bamba and Steur will no doubt be looking over their shoulder due to the progression of the Irishman, with the youngster arguably the most likely man to become the next Anderson.
Yoane Wissa for Newcastle -2
Yoane Wissa for Newcastle -2