Nottingham Forest are facing interest from Newcastle in Anthony Elanga this summer, despite the fact that the club don’t want to sell.
Newcastle did qualify for the Champions League, however, and knowing how transfer windows can work, nothing should be ruled out at this stage.
Forest don’t need to sell Elanga. That said, if the price is right, perhaps Evangelos Marinakis would consider a sale and reinvest the money back into the squad.
Newcastle are going to start the bidding for Elanga. However, the terms being reported are extremely low in comparison to the £50 million valuation.
Last summer, Forest signed Elliot Anderson for £35 million from Newcastle. In return, the Magpies signed Odysseas Vlachodimos for £20 million from the Reds.
Forest might need to be savvy in the market this summer, and with that in mind, we’ve looked at three options from Newcastle that the Reds could consider if Elanga does get the nod to go to St James’ Park.
Photo by Jon Hobley | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by Jon Hobley | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Three Newcastle players must ask for in any Anthony Elanga deal
Harvey Barnes
The winger was signed for £38 million from Leicester City, and injuries have prevented him from really holding down a place in the Newcastle team.
If Elanga does get granted his move to Newcastle, it will likely bump him down the pecking order, and perhaps a deal for Barnes becomes viable.
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The 27-year-old still managed nine goals – including one against Forest – and claimed five assists from his 40 appearances last season.
Signing Barnes is unlikely to be easy, but he’s the type of player that the Reds would likely take a look at should Elanga be sanctioned his move.
Lewis Miley
There’s talk that the central midfielder could be allowed to leave St James’ Park this summer, and this signing could replicate the Anderson deal.
Forest would be tying down a very talented player ahead of his best years, and as a central midfielder, there’s a chance that he’d get plenty of minutes at Forest.
Nicolas Dominguez is currently injured, whilst Danilo looks set to leave the club and join Lyon at some point during the summer.
Miley is only 19-years-old and his chances of regular football at Newcastle look slim with the Magpies likely to be attracting a number of stellar signings.
Sean Longstaff
Another midfielder who looks likely to leave Newcastle this summer is Longstaff and he scored the winning penalty against Forest in the Carabao Cup in August.
He’s fallen down the pecking order at Newcastle, but at 27-years-old, he will check in at his next club in his prime and with a point to prove.
Forest would probably look elsewhere for a central midfielder, but if Forest can use any possible departure for Elanga to their favour, it could prove ideal.
Longstaff has bags of Premier League experience, and he’s the type of player who might prove ideal in a European campaign for Forest.