Newcastle United have officially completed the signing of winger Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest for a fee of £55m, and it is now time to prioritise their next position.
That announcement will feel like a massive weight off the shoulders of many fans who have been crying out for a new signing after the failings in the last three transfer windows.
Anthony Elanga is officially a Newcastle United player, and Eddie Howe finally has the player he was desperate to sign last summer. The Magpies famously put in a deadline-day bid for Elanga in 2024, a bid which was quickly knocked back by Nottingham Forest.
It was not the same story this time around. Newcastle’s £55million bid for Elanga was received well by Forest and ultimately accepted, despite some intermediary issues putting the deal in jeopardy.
Elanga shared his excitement at playing for Newcastle in his first words as a player. Howe also expressed how delighed he was to sign Elanga after trying for so long.
With Newcastle now moving on to other targets after Elanga, it is clear that their strategy must be reconsidered, and the full focus should be on a different position.
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Newcastle United have to sign a centre-back after confirming Anthony Elanga signing
While the right wing is sorted, Newcastle’s transfer business is not done yet. Howe wants to improve several other positions before the start of the season and will make sure that the business is done in a timely manner.
One of those positions is centre-back. Newcastle have good quality in that position right now, but there will naturally be fears over whether the likes of 33-year-old duo Dan Burn and Fabian Schar can keep up with the intense schedule coming up next season.
The Magpies have at least eight more games in their schedule next season due to their qualification to the Champions League, so it is obvious that Newcastle now need to get a younger centre-back who can manage the busy workload.
Newcastle are linked with a move for Giorgio Scalvini. However, it is believed that Atalanta are very unwilling to let the 21-year-old go this summer as head coach Ivan Juric wants to build a team around him.
Elsewhere, Geordie Boot Boys were told that Malick Thiaw is the one to watch at Newcastle. Howe and his recruitment team are still big admirers of the 23-year-old, who looks set to leave AC Milan this summer.
Reports have stated that Como have agreed a fee with Milan for Thiaw, but the defender is not keen on the move due to his desire to carry on playing European football.
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Newcastle United want to sign a striker after Anthony Elanga deal
Newcastle’s attack is shaping up to be very dangerous next season. The Magpies will have a starting front three of Anthony Gordon, Alexander Isak and Elanga, with the likes of Harvey Barnes and William Osula available as backup.
That front three will be widely recognised as the fastest in the Premier League and a difficult force to stop. In the meantime, it has been reported that Newcastle are prioritising a striker this summer.
Newcastle have made that decision after it was confirmed that Callum Wilson has entered free agency, rejecting the contract offer on the table from the Magpies.
Wilson left Newcastle with a chorus of support after five brilliant seasons, but it was clear that he had little chance of being a regular starter while Isak was around.
The decision makes sense, but Newcastle must get their business done quickly and target a centre-back before it is too late. Some of their targets are there for the taking, and it is up to Howe and his recruitment team to get the job done.
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