Eddie Howe has admitted he would “love” to re-sign Elliot Anderson, breaking his usual stance on discussing players at other clubs and risking accusations of tampering. Anderson returns to St James’ Park this weekend as a Nottingham Forest midfielder and England starter, just 16 months after Newcastle reluctantly sold him to avoid a points deduction. […]
Eddie Howe has admitted he would “love” to re-sign Elliot Anderson, breaking his usual stance on discussing players at other clubs and risking accusations of tampering.
Anderson returns to St James’ Park this weekend as a Nottingham Forest midfielder and England starter, just 16 months after Newcastle reluctantly sold him to avoid a points deduction.
The 22-year-old was offloaded for £35m in June 2024 as the club scrambled to plug a £70m profit and sustainability rules deficit.
“It didn’t sit right with me then and doesn’t sit right with me today that we, as a football club, were forced to make a decision that we didn’t want to make,” Howe said, quoted by the Daily Mail. “I don’t know [if he will come back] but certainly from my perspective I would love him to. I’m very respectful of the fact he is at another football club and I would never normally talk about a player in that way … it is very regretful.”
Forest exploited Newcastle’s vulnerable position in negotiations, with Greece goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos moving in the opposite direction as part of the deal. Vlachodimos played just 45 minutes for the Magpies before leaving on loan to Sevilla, while Anderson has become a key figure in Forest’s midfield and forced his way into the England team.
Howe did not hide his frustration at losing a player he considers “precious.”
“He’s a very talented technical player and can do anything he wants with the ball,” Howe said. “There are not many players I can say that about. He is very good deeper, but I can definitely see him playing higher up as an 8 or a 10 … but he’s also good wide, like he was for us at wide left.”
Anderson’s rapid development since leaving Tyneside has intensified regret at Newcastle, with Howe describing the sale as “a real shame.”
Despite being sold against his wishes, Anderson has remained close to Howe and his boyhood club, even celebrating Newcastle’s Carabao Cup triumph in the stands last March, although a return to Tyneside, if it ever happens, will take a whole lot of money.
Category: General Sports
