Nottingham Forest paid £35million to prise Elliot Anderson away from Newcastle United before the June 30 FFP/PSR deadline
Elliot Anderson has revealed he was on holiday when told Newcastle United were about to end his 13-year association with the club.
A frantic struggle to meet FFP/PSR regulations forced Toon chiefs to sell the Whitley Bay native on June 30. Yankuba Minteh – another promising talent – was also given his marching orders despite never playing for Newcastle.
Nottingham Forest stumped up a reported £35million for Anderson, who joined the Magpies aged eight. That hefty fee softened the blow as supporters questioned the move one news initially broke.
The 21-year-old will now have the chance to make an impression in the Premier League after emerging as a squad player on Tyneside. Speaking after making his Forest debut in a pre-season friendly against Chesterfield, Anderson admitted leaving Newcastle was “tough” given his recent progress.
“It was really tough,” he told club media about the move. “I was with my family on holiday when I heard the news. It was tough, but it’s very exciting to start your journey and really push yourself to see what you can achieve.
“The lads, lads have really helped me settle in. I think it’s always daunting joining a new club, but they’ve been brilliant with me.”
Anderson also highlighted how his versatility can help Forest – and come at Newcastle’s expense. As well as central midfield, the youngster can operate out wide, at No.10 or even wing-back.
“It’s important to be versatile,” Anderson added. “It gets you in the team. I think it’s always a big positive to be versatile. It’s good to play a range of positions. But, it’s always nice to have one position for yourself. Versatility is no bad thing.”
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