The current state of the Newcastle United midfield, brilliantly put together by manager Eddie Howe, is something many clubs in the Premier League look upon with envy. It’s arguably the strongest area of the squad.
With established international talents like Joelinton, Sandro Tonali, and Bruno Guimaraes leading the line, and promising youngsters such as Lewis Miley and Jacob Ramsey offering more than capable support, the quality is undeniable.
The recent news that Tonali has signed a contract extension, potentially keeping him on Tyneside until 2030, only solidifies this world-class midfield for the rest of the decade.
But even with all this talent, there is always room to get better, and with ‘Big Joe’ Joelinton approaching his thirties, attention is naturally turning toward the possibility of a familiar face making a return to the club: Elliot Anderson.
Whispers surrounding the future of the local lad and current England star, Elliot Anderson, have been circulating for a while. A recent report from Mark Douglas at the i newspaper now offers a ray of hope for those who wish to see him back in the black and white stripes.
According to Douglas, the idea of moving back to Newcastle is indeed an appealing prospect for the talented 22-year-old, though the report also stresses that he remains fully committed to his current club, Nottingham Forest.
Furthermore, the same report suggests that officials at Newcastle United have actually ‘investigated the idea’ of bringing Anderson back to his boyhood team.
This is a significant detail, as it indicates that the former Toon academy graduate is more than just a hopeful dream for the fans; he is very much a serious target on the club’s radar.
Anderson has strong supporters in both manager Howe and the new Sporting Director, Ross Wilson. This connection is particularly interesting since Wilson was only recently appointed to his new position after being successfully poached by Newcastle from the City Ground, where he had worked with Anderson.
It’s easy to see why Anderson might be hesitant to rush into any decision right now. At Forest, he is a guaranteed starter the first name on the team sheet and he is gaining invaluable experience playing in the Europa League.
On top of that, he looks highly likely to secure a place on the plane for the upcoming World Cup. Given his current success and momentum, it would be difficult to imagine him wanting to give up his position at Forest in a hurry.
The potential move back for Anderson would also come at a significant financial cost. Douglas adds that any deal to bring the player back to Newcastle would require a hefty transfer fee.
It’s expected that he would cost even more than the substantial £55 million Newcastle spent on Anthony Elanga the previous summer.
This kind of price tag is certainly large, but it isn’t a real surprise when you consider Anderson’s young age, his exceptional skill set, his massive potential for growth, and his rapid rise in the game.
He has established himself as one of the top Premier League talents of the 2025/2026 season and has become a key component of Thomas Tuchel’s current England squad.
It’s worth remembering that Anderson was sold to Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2024. This sale was part of a pair of deals designed to help Newcastle comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), with goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos moving to the North East ‘in exchange’.
Although Anderson only ‘cost’ Forest an estimated £15 million to £20 million to acquire originally, the club is now positioned to make a substantial profit if they choose to sell him within the next couple of seasons.
This is especially true given that both Manchester City and Manchester United have been loosely linked with a possible move for the in-demand midfielder.
