Newcastle United have stepped up their efforts to sign Swedish winger Anthony Elanga with a massive £55 million bid, according to Fabrizio Romano, as the Magpies look to reinforce their attack ahead of a pivotal season. Manager Eddie Howe has made Elanga his top winger target, impressed by the player’s pace, direct style, and productivity at Nottingham Forest.
Elanga, 23, delivered an outstanding campaign under Nuno Espirito Santo, scoring 6 goals and providing 12 assists as Forest secured a return to European competition for the first time in three decades. His explosive ability in counter-attacking play has not gone unnoticed, with Newcastle scouts describing him as a perfect fit for Howe’s system.
After an initial £45m offer was rejected, Newcastle have returned with a fresh £55m (€64m / $75m) proposal — a figure that would make Elanga the joint-second most expensive signing in the club’s history, tied with Sandro Tonali and only behind Alexander Isak.
Talks are ongoing, with Newcastle reportedly “pushing to get it done”, although Forest’s response to the new bid is still awaited. Despite Forest’s previous insistence that Elanga is not for sale, the club’s activity in the transfer market suggests they may be preparing for his potential exit.
According to Romano, Nottingham Forest have agreed a deal with Lyon for 19-year-old Belgian winger Malick Fofana, a highly rated prospect. However, personal terms with the player are yet to be finalized, as Fofana reportedly awaits potential offers from Champions League clubs such as Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Napoli.
The move for Fofana may indicate that Forest are softening their stance on Elanga’s departure, though they may hold out for improved terms or a player-plus-cash deal.
According to TEAMtalk, Elanga is keen on joining Newcastle, grateful for his growth at Forest but eager for a new challenge — particularly the opportunity to play Champions League football. His representatives have already held multiple rounds of talks with Newcastle’s recruitment team, and personal terms are not expected to be an obstacle.
Newcastle previously considered including Harvey Barnes in the deal as a potential makeweight but are now focusing on securing Elanga with a straight cash offer. However, if Forest reject this latest bid, Barnes could still be used to sweeten negotiations.
With Chelsea having snapped up Joao Pedro from Brighton — another winger Newcastle were tracking — the focus at St. James’ Park is now fully on closing the Elanga deal. The Magpies see him as a key addition to help drive their continued ascent under Howe, following a League Cup victory and a growing presence in European football.
As Forest weigh their options and continue talks with Fofana, all eyes remain on whether they’ll eventually part ways with one of their star performers — and allow Elanga to take the next step in his promising career at Newcastle.
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