What Elanga can offer Newcastle: the key stats... | OneFootball

Newcastle United are reportedly on the verge of tying up a deal for Nottingham Forest forward Anthony Elanga for a fee in the region of £55 million and his Premier League stats suggest he could make a big impact for the Magpies.

Although they had an initial £45 million bid rejected last week, the Magpies have come back with an improved proposal and look increasingly likely to land a player who has been a long-term target for Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.

Elanga played in every Premier League match for Forest last season and finished the season with six goals and 11 assists to his name in the top flight, as Nuno Espirito Santo's side qualified for Europe for the first time since the 1995-96 season.

Although a deal for the 23-year-old former Manchester United academy graduate has not yet been finalised, sources indicate that Newcastle are close to reaching an agreement - and the Red Devils are set to profit given the sell-on clause they inserted when Elanga left Old Trafford to join Forest two years ago.

Ahead of the potential big money deal, Playmaker trawled through Elanga's numbers to dig out some statistical insights regarding what he could offer the Magpies.

Elanga's supply line

- Last season, Elanga recorded more assists from crosses (6) than any player in the Premier League.

- The Sweden international also laid on more assists from free-kicks (3) than any player in the top flight.

- Newcastle's Jacob Murphy (12) was one of only two players to record more top tier assists than Elanga (11) last season - Liverpool's Mo Salah (18) the other.

- Elanga ranked fifth in the Premier League last season for accurate crosses with 43.

- Across the past two seasons, only two players - Salah again (28) and Ollie Watkins (21) - have racked up more Premier League assists than Elanga (20).