Newcastle United have taken a big step towards signing Nottingham Forest star Anthony Elanga after an improved bid of £55m was placed on Thursday.
A clear statement of intent from Eddie Howe, the Magpies have not been deterred by their initial bid for Anthony Elanga being rejected in June.
Newcastle United fans have been crying out for a right winger since the takeover in 2021. Many thought they had a quality player in Yankuba Minteh, who impressed on loan at Feyenoord after signing for Newcastle from Odense in 2023. However, the club were forced to sell him to help avoid breaching PSR and being handed a points deduction.
It was revealed on Thursday night that Newcastle had placed a £55m bid for Elanga and that talks were going on in the evening to push the deal through. The belief is that Newcastle should have no issues with Elanga’s personal terms, with the 23-year-old reportedly very keen on moving to Tyneside and linking up with international teammate Alexander Isak.
With Newcastle looking like they will get the deal for Elanga through, a new report has shared how Forest have reacted to their latest bid.
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Nottingham Forest react positively to Newcastle United’s £55m Anthony Elanga bid
A transfer fee of that amount will put Elanga joint second on Newcastle’s most expensive players, matching Sandro Tonali’s transfer fee when he joined from AC Milan in 2023.
It is a big fee for the player, but Newcastle are fully prepared to pay to get a player who has caused them problems in the past.
According to the Northern Echo, Forest are understood to be happy with Newcastle’s offer of an up-front payment. Discussions are now taking place to iron out a handful of add-ons that will see the deal agreed and all but done.
Signing Elanga means Howe will sign one of his long-term targets this summer. Late into the 2024 summer transfer window, Newcastle made an approach for Elanga that was quickly rejected. The offer was believed to be worth around £30m with add-ons and included winger Miguel Almiron, who has since signed for Atlanta United.
- READ MORE – The real reason why Newcastle United have to pay so much for Anthony Elanga, it will frustrate you
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United demands are set to be met
After a slew of players have rejected moves to Tyneside in recent years, nobody will be more relieved to see a quality player join the club than Howe. The 47-year-old has done an excellent job in the circumstances, winning a cup and qualifying for the Champions League with a weakened team last season.
There is no doubt that he hopes Newcastle can now push on and move further up the Premier League table in the 2025/26 campaign. PIF will also be pleased that Howe’s demands have been met. It was revealed that Howe wanted two new players ahead of pre-season, which he is likely to get.
As well as Elanga, Newcastle have agreed personal terms with Burnley’s James Trafford. The 22-year-old is coming off the back of a record-breaking season in the Championship, keeping 29 clean sheets.
Newcastle tried to sign Trafford in 2024, but were forced to drop out of the deal due to their PSR problems. Reports suggest that Newcastle and Burnley are still working on a transfer fee, but that deal could be done very soon.
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