While PSR and the ‘Saudi tax‘ may not allow Newcastle to sign three or four £60m-plus players this summer, it’s clear that the club will finally push to bring in a new right winger this summer.
Jacob Murphy was superb last season, delivering 20 goal involvements, but that area of our squad is sorely lacking in depth following Miguel Almiron’s January departure and need that added sprinkle of quality.
Toon target Bryan Mbeumo looks set for Man Utd if they can eventually agree a fee with Brentford, leaving the club to pursue other options. And it seems a move for one alternative is already in the works.
The Mail’s Craig Hope claimed we had reignited our interest in Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga in a Friday night exclusive, and Sky’s Keith Downie has now weighed in on the rumours.
In an update for Sky Sports News, Keith Downie has confirmed that Newcastle are indeed ‘back in’ for Anthony Elanga.
He reports that the club have contacted Nottingham Forest over his availability, revealing that he is one of four options on our list now rumoured top target Bryan Mbeumo looks set to sign elsewhere.
Downie states that Eddie Howe is a long-term admirer of the Swedish international and was keen to bring him to St James’ Park last summer, but remains ‘one of four top winger targets’ a season later.
Elanga is contracted to Forest until 2028, putting them in a strong negotiating position, with Sky Sports reporting that the Reds rejected a £40m bid from Newcastle last August.
Downie states that Elanga is ‘one of four top targets’ in our search for a new right winger, leaving many to wonder who the alternatives may be.
It’s clear we like to stick by our targets and Elanga clearly is one after last summer’s bid, but our enquiry and contact with Forest could quickly see us return to the drawing board should they demand an extortionate fee for the 23-year-old.
So, who else could be on the list? Domestically, we’ve seen Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo heavily linked, along with West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus, Southampton’s Tyler Dibling and Chelsea’s Noni Madueke.
As for overseas options, Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche has been watched, along with Sporting Lisbon’s Francisco Trincao, Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens and Johan Bakayoko at PSV.