Nottingham Forest signed Elliot Anderson in a £35m transfer from Newcastle United in this summer window, and Eddie Howe was a big admirer
If you wished to know about the player who Nottingham Forest have recruited in Elliot Anderson this summer transfer window, you need only ask his former manager Eddie Howe. Anderson, 21, completed a £35m move to the City Ground earlier this summer from Premier League rivals Newcastle United, and it’s safe to say at the time that Howe was saddened by the exit.
Anderson, a Scottish international, came through the ranks at Newcastle and spent the 2021-22 tearing it up in League One with Bristol Rovers. In the last couple of years under Howe, though, he was elevated into the first-team environment on Tyneside and left this summer having made 55 appearances for the Magpies – including a couple in the Champions League.
Very highly thought of, Anderson – who signed a five-year deal upon arrival in the East Midlands – was sold to Forest for pure profit, at a time when clubs around the country are having to tread carefully amid the ominous Profitability and Sustainability Rules. That could prove to be Forest’s gain, especially when you take into account just how highly Howe – who saw him up close in training on a daily basis – rated him.
Speaking at the end of last season, Howe, who has since admitted the sale ‘didn’t sit comfortably with him’, said of Anderson: “Immediately when I joined Newcastle, you could see Elliot’s talent. He’s a quiet person, not really loud within the group, but he’s got this steel in him, this determination that strikes you straight away. He’s very, very ambitious and he believes in himself.
“Elliot’s got extraordinary talent. He’s not lightning quick. He can run, but it’s his body movement and confidence taking the ball in tight situations. He sees a pass, he scores a goal. He’s had to work his way up from the academy. Elliot was our best player in pre-season. That he was ahead of some stellar names was quite something. He has special qualities.”
Anderson is yet to be capped at senior international level, but he was called up by Scotland manager Steve Clarke in November of last year for a couple of Euro 2024 qualifiers, only to be forced to withdraw through injury. He’ll be hoping that at Forest, then, he’ll be granted the platform under Nuno Espirito Santo to perform and ensure that his first, ill-fated, call up won’t be his last.
He has featured prominently throughout pre-season since arriving and came through an injury scare having limped off in the meeting with Millwall. He featured at the City Ground for the first time in the goalless draw with Villarreal on Friday.
What do you make of the Anderson signing?
It could be an exciting season ahead for Nottingham Forest as they look to push on under Nuno Espirito Santo.
After successive relegation fights since their return to the top-flight, the Reds are hoping this time around will be different. The aim for 2024/25 is to kick on in the Premier League and get higher up the table.
After two years back among the elite, the Reds are now well aware of the task in front of them and the challenges they face. And although there is no doubt this particular division takes no prisoners, there is a sense Forest are now equipped to meet the test head on.
Indeed, there is plenty of cause for optimism among Reds fans. Progress is the watchword around the City Ground at the moment, and the hope is that supporters won’t be chewing their fingernails or calculating final-day survival permutations come May.
Forest showed glimpses of what they are capable of under Nuno last term. The Portuguese also clearly had the foundations of a very good squad already in place.
But pre-season has really shown what might be possible with the 50-year-old at the helm. His team have looked sharp, have been keen to get on the front foot and have put together some lovely passages of play.
Admittedly, reading too much into summer friendlies is unwise. Predicting how an unpredictable Premier League might pan out is not easy at the best of times.
Nevertheless, do not underestimate just how valuable having uninterrupted time with his players can be for Nuno. He has described pre-season as the “most important” period of the year and felt he missed out by being appointed Trentside in the middle of the last campaign.
Nuno has plenty of talent at his disposal as he looks to plot a course for the months ahead. Players such as Ibrahim Sangare have the potential to really show what they are about, the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga are capable of once again making their mark, and Morgan Gibbs-White can get even better. And then there are the new signings to add to the mix.
It will be fascinating to see whether Carlos Miguel takes the No 1 spot. Nikola Milenkovic has been brought in to try to solve the Reds’ set-piece troubles. Eric da Silva Moreira looks a great find and Elliot Anderson can be an excellent addition. Further signings are expected to follow.
There is a lot to look forward to. With that in mind, we have produced our Nottingham Forest 2024/25 kick-off special, our brilliant guide to the new season.
Our reporter Sarah Clapson will waltz you through what to expect from the Reds this coming season, turn the spotlight on Nuno, run the rule over the key men and pinpoint the ones to watch. Our club-by club guide will give you the lowdown on Forest’s Premier League rivals and the managers in the division, while our away-day pages will tell you all you need to know about the grounds the Reds will be visiting.
With a full fixture list and key dates for the campaign, Nottingham Forest 2024/25 Kick-Off will get you in perfect match shape in time for the Reds’ opening day curtain-raiser at home to Bournemouth on Saturday, August 17.
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