Nuno Espirito Santo’s outstanding summer transfer window continues to pay off, with Elliot Anderson one of the club’s best signings.
Anderson joined Forest from Newcastle United in the summer and has established himself as a key member of the club’s midfield, leading them reach third place in the Premier League table.
The Englishman’s performances have not gone unnoticed at the City Ground, with Alan Shearer praising Anderson for the outstanding influence he has had at the club thus far.
It’s no surprise that Anderson is already attracting interest from football’s greatest names, with Liverpool scouting him ahead of a possible move down the line.
However, details from the trade with Newcastle suggest that his former club will not have a head start if they choose to return for Anderson.Report: Nottingham Forest masterclass as Elliot Anderson’s contract details emerge following Newcastle move.
Newcastle United has no buy-back clause for Elliot Anderson.
The Daily Mail reported on the inner workings of the Anderson deal, revealing Evangelos Marinakis’ brilliant negotiation skills.
The report said: “Anderson’s good run of late with third-placed Nottingham Forest has led fans to wonder whether Newcastle included a provision to buy back their academy graduate at a later date. However, we understand that no such clause exists.”
This is obviously fantastic news for Forest fans, as a potential buy-back provision might have resulted in Anderson returning to Newcastle for a predetermined fee, ignoring his good form under the Forest boss.
It also implies that if a bidding battle breaks out for the English midfielder, Marinakis might charge a cost that represents exceptional value for Forest, rather than being bound by Newcastle’s price. Most importantly, it ensures the future of one of Forest’s key players.
Elliot Anderson has proven vital for Nottingham Forest.
Along with Forest’s signing of Nikola Milenkovic, Anderson has been an instant success at the City Ground, with his stats this season demonstrating how important he has been to Espirito Santo.
Even without his five Premier League assists, Anderson generates an average of two opportunities per game and 3.58 touches in the opposing box every 90 minutes.
He also excels defensively for Forest, winning 70.2% of his tackles and 64.7% of his aerial duels, with 7.08 defensive recoveries per game.
A midfielder who succeeds in all facets of the game is a rare find in football, but Anderson’s statistics indicate that he provides Espirito Santo with the ideal balance for his two-man midfield system.
Interest in Anderson will likely persist, but his performances, along with Newcastle’s lack of a buy-back provision, should keep the midfielder at Forest for some time.
