Nottingham Forest have finalized a deal to capture Newcastle United teenager Elliot Anderson for about £35 million.
The Reds sold Odysseas Vlachodimos to St James’ Park as a makeweight, which offsets some of the sum Forest paid.
Anderson wanted to stay at Newcastle, but they were in danger of breaking the latest round of PSR and had to sell.
Forest have stepped in and strengthened their midfield with a man who might be a valuable acquisition in the years to come.
Anderson has already been unveiled at City Ground, and the signing has been discussed in greater detail.
How Nottingham Forest staff feel about Elliot Anderson’s signing.
It’s fair to say that this agreement came as a surprise on Trentside.
Anderson was first connected with a move to Forest on Friday, and by Sunday, the agreement had been signed, sealed, and delivered.
According to Nick Miller of The Athletic, Forest had anticipated Anderson would be out of reach this summer.
Furthermore, the club was not very interested in improving its midfield this summer.
However, the consensus was that Anderson was the proper player for the club, so they decided to take action.
Forest have a number of midfield options, including Ryan Yates, Danilo, Nicolas Dominguez, and Ibrahim Sangare, all of whom will battle with Anderson for a shirt.
Anderson may become a first-team regular quite fast.
Forest may have just hit the jackpot here, while Newcastle may feel they have missed a trick in a few years.
Anderson should swiftly establish himself as a first-team regular, with only Danilo solidifying his position on the team last season.
The Newcastle signing also brings something unique to the group of four midfielders.
He is well-known for his ability to hold and advance the ball, and his dribbling ability may go unnoticed.
Anderson matches the profile of the type of signing Forest should make.
He’s a young kid with a lot of potential, and while the transfer cost appears exorbitant, it may be a steal if he gets his feet under the table soon and starts generating results.
