Message from Nottingham – Classic Anthony Elanga! | OneFootball

Anthony Elanga is set to become the summer’s first major Newcastle United signing.

With transfer fee (£52m plus £3m future add-ons), personal terms agreed and medical successfully completed, just waiting for the formal announcement and club media stuff that follows.

In advance of that, interesting to find out what Newcastle United are getting with Anthony Elanga, those who regularly watched the winger play for Forest and came into personal contact with the Sweden international.

One of those is Colin Fray of BBC Radio Nottingham, someone who knows the player well and has watched him play these past two years.

Some nice words on Anthony Elanga as a player and as a person, sounds like he will perfectly fit in with the dressing room spirit and quality Eddie Howe has developed at Newcastle United.

Colin Fray (BBC Radio Nottingham reporter) taking to BBC Sport about what Newcastle United are getting with Anthony Elanga:

‘Watching Anthony Elanga play is a lot of fun!

As they always, and quite rightly say “there’s no substitute for pace”, and if you have end product after the run, it is a dangerous combination.

That is why Newcastle want Elanga, and that is why Forest have been reluctant to part with him.

Ultimately, though, Forest will feel that they have a good deal financially, and for them it is about how they spend to replace the Sweden international. That is going to be crucial going forward for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, because Elanga was excellent for the Forest head coach.

When he was going through a lean spell, Nuno publicly backed him, and was proved right as Elanga bagged six goals and 11 assists last season – improving both from the previous campaign.

With Newcastle, he will have a Champions League campaign to look forward to, and Eddie Howe will be hoping he can provide the assists for compatriot Alexander Isak in the Magpies’ forward line.

Always smiling, his bubbly enthusiasm is infectious, and he fitted perfectly into the Forest dressing-room spirit that took them so far last season.

It was fun talking to him, and it was fun watching him… and if you want to know how much fun, just have a look at his winning goal against Manchester United last season – a solo run from his own half, holding defenders off and then finding a finish.