Anthony Elanga has completed his transfer from Manchester United to Nottingham Forest in a deal worth £15m. The Swedish winger had come through the academy ranks at Old Trafford but has decided that it is time to pursue first-team football elsewhere and he will now play his football at The City Ground going forward.
The deal for Elanga was completed quite swiftly due to positive relations between the two clubs. A fee of £15m was agreed upon fairly swiftly, however, Forest had to fend off competition from elsewhere to secure his signature. The 21-year-old had been in contract negotiations with Everton in recent weeks but ultimately decided that Sean Dyche's style of football didn't align with his own game. This allowed Forest and Steve Cooper to swoop in to purchase him.
Elanga has signed a five-year deal at the City Ground which means the club will have him until at least 2028. This could prove to be quite the coup for Forest considering he was a mainstay in the Manchester United starting lineup just 18 months ago. While Ralf Rangnick appreciated the Swede, Erik Ten Hag felt that he was an expendable asset and approve the sale to help with his bid to bring in more star quality to Old Trafford.
So far, the Reds have signed Mason Mount and Ondre Nana, but have been heavily linked with Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund in recent weeks. The extra £15m the club have gained from this sale could help them get that one over the line.
Anthony Elanga ✖️ Nottingham Forest.
Done and sealed, permanent deal 🌳 pic.twitter.com/VhWDnaYHyq
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 25, 2023
Elanga closes one chapter and starts another
In confirming his switch to Nottingham Forest, Elanga posted a heartfelt message to Manchester United and their supporters on Instagram. He said:
“Making my debut, playing over 50 times for the first team, scoring in the Champions League and winning a trophy for this incredible club…if you had told me all of that would happen when I arrived in England at 11-year-old old I would have been buzzing.”
In his official unveiling as a Nottingham Forest player, Elanga focused on the future. He said:
“It's a pleasure to be here. It's a proud moment, not only for me but for my family as well. It's a big step and I'm really looking forward to playing in front of the Forest fans at the City Ground. I had interest from elsewhere, but for me, Nottingham Forest feels like the perfect place. I've been here with United. It's a special place, but being here with Forest, I feel like it will be even more special. I'm ready for the challenge.”
