After nearly four years of waiting, Newcastle United invested £55million to make Anthony Elanga the first right winger signed post-takeover. Nearly four months on and they are still waiting for the best version of that player to arrive.
No goals or assists from 11 matches is one metric by which to evaluate the 23-year-old’s early contribution, but it’s as much the eye test he is yet to pass. He looks as low on confidence as he is on numbers, lost as to how to use his greatest weapon, his whiplash speed, in new surrounds.
Like all players under Eddie Howe, there will be improvement. He will be given time by staff and supporters for that to come about. The disappointment is that Elanga was bought to hit the ground running – and do so running fast.
There was a feeling during Newcastle’s last home match that Elanga would have fared better had he been playing for Nottingham Forest.
His former club sat deep and had grass in front of them, the sort of runway the Swede likes to attack. When you’re that quick (up to 23mph in some matches), space is your friend.
But for Newcastle, it was blind alleys he ventured down. With the open road closed and the onus on precision over pace, he and his deliveries came up short. There was one accurate cross from nine and one successful dribble from five. He was withdrawn on 70 minutes.
Anthony Elanga has begun his Newcastle United career with an 11-game goalless run
The Sweden forward joined for a sizeable £55million fee but has yet to fully find his feet
There’s been misery for his country too, with Sweden’s World Cup qualifying campaign on the brink after three defeats and a draw from four games
At Brighton on Saturday, with the theory being an away game would afford him room to exploit, his numbers regressed still further. He was hooked at half-time after one failed cross and one failed dribble.
Newcastle lost 2-1 to leave them 13th in the Premier League, a competition in which their four widemen – Elanga, Jacob Murphy, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes – have yet to score and have provided just one assist. Afterwards, Howe sought to defend his summer signing.
‘Anthony is going to be a great player for this football club, I’ve got no doubt about that,’ he said. ‘But some players need a little bit extra time and more support, and just something to happen positively for them to suddenly kick off.
‘He’s got all the attributes to do really well here, so I’ve got no issues or worries with him.’
Howe reiterated that message on the eve of the Champions League visit of Benfica, when the talk again turned to Elanga’s form.
‘Anthony is an outstanding player and I have no doubt about his long-term qualities for the team,’ said the head coach. ‘There is a settling-in period for him that he’s going through. He’s having to make slight adjustments to his game.
‘If you look back at a highlight reel of what he’s delivered, he’s put some great crosses in, albeit no direct goal outputs. That’s not all down to his contribution, we should have scored from some of them. But I think he’s got a lot more to give and I’ve got no doubt about his success.’
Newcastle, though, paid a premium to a Premier League rival to negate the need for adaptation. After playing in all 38 top-flight matches for Forest last season – six goals, 11 assists – Elanga was supposed to be oven-ready.
There was a feeling during Newcastle’s last home match that Elanga would have fared better had he been playing for Nottingham Forest
The frustration for Newcastle is that, save for a couple of decent periods in the Champions League, he has come in cold
It is why seven of his 11 appearances have been as a starter. The frustration for Newcastle is that, save for a couple of decent periods in the Champions League, he has come in cold.
Maybe Howe is right and that first big moment will mark a corner turned. But right now, the more he plays, the more belief appears to desert him.
There was one moment at Brighton, which surely spoke to a confidence issue as opposed to technical, when he looked to run upfield and forgot to take the ball with him. There was another incident against Forest when he ran the ball straight out of play.
Small missteps, but still indicative of a bigger concern when it comes to how the player feels about himself. Some of his withdrawals have felt like an act of kindness as opposed to punishment on the part of Howe.
To that end, sources believe he will need an arm around the shoulder, not a boot up the backside. The arrival of sporting director Ross Wilson could be timely. He worked with Elanga at Forest and was part of the transfer team who bought and sold him.
They have a good relationship and a confidant with an understanding of what made him one of Newcastle’s top targets in the first place can be no bad thing.
But, ultimately, it will come down to Elanga to kickstart his Newcastle career. He should look no further than Gordon and Murphy for inspiration.
Gordon was signed for £45m in January of 2023 and needed six months to get what he called ‘Eddie Howe fit’.
Anthony Gordon struggled in his first six months at Newcastle, but eventually became a key man
Ultimately, it will come down to Elanga to kickstart his Newcastle career
It is less about fitness with Elanga and more about downloading the Newcastle playbook, but the example of Gordon coming good after a sticky start should serve as reassurance, for the player, management and supporters.
Murphy’s difficult start, by contrast, lasted the best part of four years, before he registered 12 Premier League assists last season – a figure only Mohamed Salah beat.
Elanga will not be forgiven that luxury of time, but there are team-mates whose experience – good and bad – he can draw on. There is also the memory of one devastating display during Forest’s 3-1 win at St James’ Park two seasons ago.
Indeed, it is the scars of that afternoon that attracted Howe and his staff to Elanga. He always seemed to play well against Newcastle. The challenge now is working out how he plays well for them.
