A player who did not particularly want to leave and a manager who definitely did not want to sell him: There can be few transfers that have better personified the financial nuances of the modern game than Elliot Anderson’s move to Nottingham Forest.
Anderson was maintaining a family tradition when he joined Newcastle United at the age of eight. He was following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Geoff Allen, who had played as an outside left for them between 1964 and 1968.
It had been Anderson’s childhood dream to pull on a Newcastle shirt — and the fact that he played twice for them in the Champions League, against AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain last season, was something that left him “buzzing”.
After being sidelined with a back injury for four months last season, when he was threatening to make the next step, Anderson felt that this season may be his time to shine — to establish himself as a Newcastle regular and add to the 16 starts and 39 sub appearances he had made in all competitions.
Instead, when Newcastle visit the City Ground in the EFL Cup tonight, Anderson will be in the opposition team.
Howe did not want to lose Anderson (Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
The 21-year-old is happy to be at Forest and focused on starting the next chapter of his career under Nuno Espirito Santo. After being handed his first Forest start away to Southampton, he was an integral figure in a deserved 1-0 win.
But it is hard to escape the notion that, if not for a particular set of circumstances involving profit and sustainability loss limits, it is a move that was less likely to happen. Newcastle’s loss is Forest’s gain.
Anderson was on holiday in Portugal in June “playing a bit of golf”, when he received a phone call to deliver the news that Newcastle were willing to sell.
“I had seen a few bits linking me with other clubs,” says Anderson. “I had a call with the manager and he explained the situation. I was a bit shocked. I did not think it was going to happen, but it is football. I’m a Forest player and ready to give everything.”
Anderson repeatedly makes a point of outlining how happy he is to be at Forest — he had an affinity for them as a youngster as his grandad, Allen, moved to Mansfield after having his playing career cut short by injury, and would regale him with tales of Forest’s success under Brian Clough.
Forest, in turn, are delighted to have landed a 21-year-old player with enough potential for him to have to give some thought as to whether he wants to continue to represent Scotland at international level — he has caps at under-16, under-17, under-18 and under-21 level — or wait to see if an England opportunity arises.
But the reaction of Eddie Howe says a great deal about Newcastle’s motivations behind the deal. When Anderson’s £35million move to Forest was confirmed at the end of June, the Newcastle manager admitted he was disappointed to see him and Yankuba Minteh — who joined Brighton & Hove Albion for £30million — sold.
“The PSR issues we faced in June were really strong and really difficult for us… Very sad to lose two exciting young players, who are big losses for us,” Howe said.
Howe has doubled down on that sentiment, after watching Forest play on the south coast. “It was good to see Elliot play so well against Southampton but it was tinged with sadness because we’ve lost an outstanding player and person,” said Howe.
There was a perception that the sale of Minteh might be enough to address Newcastle’s PSR issues. But Anderson was an academy graduate and represented pure profit — in a similar way to Brennan Johnson when he was sold to Tottenham Hotspur by Forest for £47.5million last summer.
Forest’s PSR situation will have been aided by the transfer of Odi Vlachodimos, the Greek international goalkeeper, to Newcastle in a deal understood to be worth around £20million, as part of the package.
Brighton had asked about Anderson as well as Minteh, but then Forest made their interest known. Anderson was said to be privately surprised that Newcastle were willing to let them go, but quickly came around to the idea once it became apparent that the decision had been made — and that, by leaving, he would be helping the club, in a sense.
“I was very settled at Newcastle, I thought I was doing well and I was ready to get into the team, but it was the club’s decision and I respect it,” said Anderson more recently.
After his back injury, Anderson returned to the Newcastle team in the final months of last season and had impressed in a number of roles, including a kind of hybrid role, which saw him operate as a No 8, while pushing out to the left side when the team were in possession.
Anderson impressed on his full debut against Southampton (Paul Harding/Getty Images)
Howe was a fan of his running power, creativity and work rate. Anderson is a player who can occasionally give away possession but that is largely because he is somebody who likes to make things happen. Howe would forgive him as he was trying to be positive.
Anderson played more regularly in an attacking role wide on the left in pre-season for Forest. But, while he is happy to play anywhere, he regards himself as being a central midfielder. It was in that role that Forest fans got their first proper chance to see him in action away to Southampton, as Nuno made the call to replace the unfortunate Danilo, who is facing months on the sidelines with an ankle injury, with Anderson rather than Ryan Yates.
Anderson responded with a dominant, powerful display in the centre, where he won more tackles (four) than any player in the Forest side, while looking like an assured, precise figure in possession. He provided a presence alongside Ibrahim Sangare.
Anderson has not always had that stature. Before he went on loan to Bristol Rovers in 2021-2022, there was a lot of talk of his potential but, at that stage, he still had a skinny build. He was slight in comparison to the stockier frame he possesses now. But in six months at Rovers, he grew physically as well as in confidence, within the 21 appearances he made in League Two, while scoring seven goals.
He then put on more muscle, and training regularly with the Newcastle first team helped him to toughen up again. A year ago, he was one of the best players in pre-season and the coaching staff were excited about him.
As Forest discovered in Athens, where Anderson set up two goals — from a corner and a free kick — in the 4-3 friendly win over Olympiacos, his set-piece delivery is an asset.
Had he stayed at Newcastle, Anderson might have had opportunities — but he would have been competing for his place alongside Joelinton, the returning Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, among others. Howe was nevertheless frustrated to lose somebody of his versatility — which is an attribute Nuno values highly at Forest.
Since he joined Forest, Anderson has spoken to Howe on the phone. His former coach has urged him to “show people how good he is”.
Howe may hope that he does not follow that advice.
GO DEEPER
Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest: The Athletic 500 transfer ratings
(Top photo: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
