Newcastle United supporters will be filled with relief after seeing Eddie Howe secure his first major signing of the summer transfer window.
A move for Anthony Elanga was finally confirmed on Friday, but this deal has been weeks in the making.
The Swedish winger cost the Toon around £55m, but Howe will be hoping that this fee eventually turns into a bargain.
“Elanga is an exciting talent with attributes that make him a unique attacking threat,” said Howe upon Elanga’s arrival at St James’ Park.
“His pace, energy and ability to create and score goals will strengthen us and complement the way we want to play.”
Champions League football will take centre stage next season and Howe will be aiming for his side to do better than when they were last in the competition. Newcastle finished bottom of their group during 2023/24, despite claiming a famous 4-1 win over PSG.
With Elanga now signed, it should be the catalyst for the manager to land another couple of signings in the coming weeks.
The former Nottingham Forest star has plenty of Premier League experience, but what exactly will he offer the Magpies next term and beyond?
What Anthony Elanga will offer Newcastle
Since making the move from Manchester United to Forest in the summer of 2023, Elanga has been at the forefront of their recent success.
Across these two seasons, the winger has scored 11 goals in the Premier League, while chipping in with 20 league assists in that time.
He doesn’t just offer a clear-cut threat in front of goal either. According to FBref, when compared to his positional peers in the Premier League last term, Elanga ranked in the top 3% for crosses (6.66) per 90, along with ranking in the top 10% for goal-creating actions (0.65) and in the top 27% for carries into the opposition penalty area (1.73) per 90.
While signing the 23-year-old is a boost for the team, plus giving Howe an excellent attacking option for the next few years, was signing another player in this area a priority for the club?
Jacob Murphy was excellent on the right flank last term, tearing it up for the Magpies in the top flight. Indeed, across 35 top flight games last season, the Englishman scored eight goals while recording 12 assists for the Magpies.
If comparing him to fellow wingers Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes, who registered 12 and 14 goal involvements in the Premier League, Murphy was by far the best-performing wide man in the squad.
Of course, he won’t be around forever, and some competition would be ideal, but in terms of improvement, the right flank shouldn’t be Howe’s priority ahead of next season.
The defence is an area which requires strengthening, notably at centre-back and between the posts.
Howe is certainly making inroads to bolster both positions and he has been given an exciting update regarding a transfer target recently.
Newcastle’s search for a defender
Marc Guehi still looks like a target, although it remains to be seen exactly how far Howe is prepared to go in order to sign him.
Elsewhere, Malick Thiaw and Leonardo Balerdi are both defensive targets, with Howe expressing interest in both centre-backs recently.
The one player he appears to be most keen on is Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini. The Italian could be set to leave the Serie A side this summer, but they have placed a £50m price tag on his head.
According to The i Paper, the Toon have ‘carried out preliminary work on a possible deal’, but there are a host of clubs keen on securing his signature, including Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus.
Scalvini has reportedly stated he is intrigued by the prospect of playing in the Premier League, while also gushing about both the club and manager when on international duty of late.
Could this help Howe get a deal wrapped up sooner rather than later? Only time will tell.
Why Newcastle must sign Giorgio Scalvini
Newcastle must add at least one centre-back to their squad this summer. Last season, Howe mainly relied on Dan Burn and Fabian Schar. Both are excellent players, but they are both 33 and won’t be around forever.
Indeed, the only centre-back in the current squad who is under 30 is Sven Botman, but he has missed 59 games since the start of the 2023/24 season.
As such, a move for Scalvini is a must for the club. He missed the majority of last term due to injury, but throughout the 2023/24 campaign, he was superb.
Accurate passes
37.8
Tackles
1.6
Interceptions
1.8
Clearances
2
Total duels won
4.8
Balls recovered
4.9
Hailed as a “top talent” by Fabrizio Romano in 2022 – as well as a “world-class” centre-back by talent scout Jacek Kulig – Scalvini ranked highly across a range of metrics in Serie A during 2023/24.
Compared to his peers, he ranked in the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90, along with ranking in the top 11% for touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 4% for interceptions and in the top 16% for aerials won per 90.
If he is able to replicate those types of performances at Newcastle, then Howe would have landed an excellent signing for the club.
The best thing is, Scalvini has yet to even reach his peak, indicating that the next few years could see the Italian defender only going from strength to strength.
Although Howe has just spent £55m on Elanga, there is no doubt that a deal to sign the Atalanta starlet would be viewed as a more important signing, especially with concerns about the defence.
Scalvini has showcased his talents in Europe before, impressing during the 2024 Europa League final as his side defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-0.
Performing in the Champions League will be a massive step-up for the youngster, but if he wishes to take his game to the next stage, this is the level he should be playing at.
The next few weeks will be interesting for the club. That much is certain.
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1 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 12, 2025
