Newcastle United return 'expected' for £50m Man Utd academy graduate as Eddie Howe January priority outlined

Newcastle United will continue their search for a right-sided winger in January with reports suggesting a possible return for Anthony Elanga.

Swedish winger Elanga emerged as a late-summer option at St James’ Park with Sky Sports reporting that after seeing an initial £35million bid rejected, Newcastle returned with an offer worth a potential £50m. Forest rejected both outright and stood firm in their desire to keep the 22-year-old, despite the chance to more-than triple the £15m they paid Manchester United just one year ago.

That late move was a sign of Newcastle’s desperation to sign a winger and an eventual failure to do so left many supporters frustrated, but Magpies recruitment chiefs remain keen on wide reinforcements and will prioritise the position come January. Football Insider claims pressure is already growing on sporting director Paul Mitchell, who was also unable to strengthen at centre-back after missing out on Marc Guehi.

Among the likely targets in January is Elanga, who fits the bill as a naturally right-sided winger - although it is suggested Eddie Howe would like an ‘inverted’ option, suggesting a left-footer would be preferred. The Forest man is right-footed but shown an ability to go inside or out from wide positions, and can also play on the left if needed.

Manchester United academy graduate Elanga is yet to get off the mark this season but looked sharp in Forest’s opening three games, having registered five goals and nine assists in 36 appearances last term. The winger played twice alongside Alexander Isak while away with Sweden and spoke openly about summer interest from Newcastle.

“The environment in Nottingham is good,” he told Fotboll Skanalen. “It is clear that you can see that Newcastle are interested, it means that I am playing good football when a big club shows interest. But Nottingham is also a big club, they have won two Champions Leagues, even though it was before I was born. But I’m happy in Nottingham and have a contract there.

“I’m focusing on Nottingham and hope to have a good season, then we’ll see what happens. Isak talked to me about it. But I said the same to him as I say to you. We have a good relationship and good chemistry when we play together. But I have a contract with Nottingham.”

With no new signing out wide over the summer, Howe has been forced to work with what he has but found success by thinking outside the box. Newcastle’s two best wingers, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes, both prefer to play on the left but the former was moved across for an impressive 2-1 win at home to Tottenham Hotspur before the international break.

That looks like being Howe’s preferred selection choice for the first-half of the season but speculation will intensify as January edges closer. And Mitchell will be desperate to get a big deal over the line as pressure grows.