Anthony Elanga

[TheBrownBottle]

10 hours ago, gazza ladra said:

I thing that doesn't seem to taken into account was that this was all before Isak went on strike. Isak and Elanga was a pretty exciting prospect. 

 

Overeacting is what NO does best.

 

 Also, the euphoria on here some genuinely believed we were going to have both Isak and Ekitike... 

what also doesn’t get taken into account is that Isak was screaming for a move when we signed him, and Elanga worked best with Wood up top.  I’ve seen Wood upfront in a Newcastle top, and he didn’t seem particularly effective in our system - and looked absolutely nothing like Isak as a CF

[Fak]

10 hours ago, gazza ladra said:

I thing that doesn't seem to taken into account was that this was all before Isak went on strike. Isak and Elanga was a pretty exciting prospect. 

 

Overeacting is what NO does best.

 

 Also, the euphoria on here some genuinely believed we were going to have both Isak and Ekitike... 

 

Aye I was thinking Gordon, Isak & Elanga would be a pretty class front 3 if and when they all clicked. 

[Erikse]

11 hours ago, gazza ladra said:

I thing that doesn't seem to taken into account was that this was all before Isak went on strike. Isak and Elanga was a pretty exciting prospect. 

 

Overeacting is what NO does best.

 

 Also, the euphoria on here some genuinely believed we were going to have both Isak and Ekitike... 

 

Isak and Elanga has never had a single assist to each other for Sweden. You'd think that they would atleast have some if it was such a deadly combo, especially given the opposition. I honestly think Jacob Murphy had a better on field relationship with Isak for us than what Elanga would have had, but we will never know.

 

 

Edited January 3 by Erikse

[bobbydazzla]

4 hours ago, Optimistic Nut said:

 

Why does Barnes always get lumped into these lists?

Because people are nincompoops 

[Interpolic]

On 31/12/2025 at 17:39, Jagten said:

Glad you think it’s going well

 

 it's really been an absolutely disastrous period for the club

[Jagten]

14 hours ago, Kid Icarus said:

You've listed maybe 10% of our transfers under Howe and 20% of the expenditure. None of the players we're in any position to call failures yet as most were signed 4 months ago and one of which has been a success and doesn't belong on your list at all. So even the players you're using as examples aren't particularly strong ones and ignore the huge list of undisputed successful signings that make up the majority.

 

Financial mismanagement did lead us to selling Anderson, which is a shame, and Minteh, no big deal. I think we lost more by losing the two people responsible though tbh and ultimately that spending also contributed towards us getting two Champions League qualifications and a trophy.

 

 

 

Elanga, Wissa, Ramsey, Barnes and (to throw in the Anderson debris) Vlachodimos are 46% of our last three year net spend. The talent ID is getting worse. You’re underrating Minteh.

[Jagten]

3 hours ago, Interpolic said:

 

 it's really been an absolutely disastrous period for the club

Obviously that’s not what I was referring to my dude 

 

Let me be super clear for you: Howe has been great, being competitive has been great. However, to make the next step and elevate ourselves beyond perma-borderline CL club, we need to get better at talent ID, which has regressed. 

 

 

Edited January 3 by Jagten

[Kid Icarus]

1 minute ago, Jagten said:

Elanga, Wissa, Ramsey, Barnes and (to throw in the Anderson debris) Vlachodimos are 46% of our last three year net spend. The talent ID is getting worse. You’re underrating Minteh.

Some creative maths going on there including Vlachodimos when he was part of a back scratch deal with Forest.

 

Again, no idea why you're including Barnes and undermining your own point with a successful signing.

 

We also didn't spend anything for a year, so there's that too.

 

We're not going to agree, I don't think your point has any legs at all.

[Jagten]

Just now, Kid Icarus said:

Some creative maths going on there including Vlachodimos when he was part of a back scratch deal with Forest.

 

Again, no idea why you're including Barnes and undermining your own point with a successful signing.

 

We also didn't spend anything for a year, so there's that too.

 

We're not going to agree, I don't think your point has any legs at all.

I think Barnes is actually pretty good, but I don’t think it was great resource allocation given he’s a borderline starter. Wissa is also pretty good, but he just cost way too much.

[Kid Icarus]

4 minutes ago, Jagten said:

I think Barnes is actually pretty good, but I don’t think it was great resource allocation given he’s a borderline starter. Wissa is also pretty good, but he just cost way too much.

His contribution, starting or not has been the difference between our success and failure. We don't get the cup win without him last season imo and we definitely don't get CL football. His goals are very often the difference.

[The College Dropout]

Since Ashworth left we’ve:

sold 2 of our best youngsters in 2 critical positions. Legitimately costing us over £100m+
Signed Joelinton onto a massive contract when he was probably best sold

signed Gordon (which is good) to a new contract 

Failed to sign on Isak causing us uncertainty and disruption this summer at the least 

spent £70m on Wolte

spent £55m on Wissa

spent £55m on Elanga

spent £45m on Ramsey

spent £35m on Thiaw

spant £5m on Ramsdale for a loan

spent £15m on Osula and likely to make £25m in sale value 

lost out on about a dozen targets ranging from Guehi to Etikite to Sesko

Got Kelly for free and then sold him for £20m in the next window 

Not signed a new contract for Tino which is becoming a major issue 

sold Isak for £130m but it caused mass disruption to the summer 

sold Minteh for £30m - his value has likely increased 

sold Anderson for £35m his value has atleast doubled. And in return we signed Vlad for £20m. Essentially selling Anderson for £15m and he’s now worth at least £70m

 

I think that’s 90% of the key first team activity over the last 22 months transfer and contract wise (not including extensions for Schar and Burn).  It’s a mixed bag at best maybe 5 out of 10 probably a 4 imo. 
 

2 years prior to that brought us:

- Trippier for £10m

- Isak for £60m

- Tonali for £55m and an extension 

- Bruno for £35m and an extension and a release clause that has expired

- Burn for £10m

- Pope for £10m

- Botman for £35m

- Tino for £40m

- Barnes for £45m

- Hall for £35m

- Wood in and out for £20m a piece

- Gordon £45m

 

Thwres more but that’s 8.5 out of 10 at worst.  It’s the quality that got us our trophy and CL football. 
 

It’s night and day transfer wise since Ashworth and Staveley and co left. Our pull in the transfer market has fallen off a cliff since Staveley left.  The profile of player we sign and sell has gone entirely in the wrong direction since Ashworth left.  

[Keefaz]

Think he's been rubbish, but will try to bear in mind he's still young and we've had excellent players who have been hopeless in their first season or longer. Instant results would be nice but it ain't always the case. He didn't ask for that transfer fee.

[The College Dropout]

10 minutes ago, Jagten said:

I think Barnes is actually pretty good, but I don’t think it was great resource allocation given he’s a borderline starter. Wissa is also pretty good, but he just cost way too much.

Agreed both are good players imo. But poor profiles considering PSR constraints. It would be seen as good if we sold both for price we bought them even if they were both successful for us - that’s not great profiling considering the big fees. 
 

If it was just those 2 it would be fine. But then you throw in Ramsey, Elanga and suddenly it’s £200m we struggle to make back. 
 

The Vlach swap deal was the worse swap deal that was made. Everyone else swapped talented youngsters that might appreciate in value Maatsen, Dewsbury-Hall(ok not young but a good player), Onana.  We got a 30 year old goalkeeper. Regardless though - I would’ve trusted Staveley and co. to continue to attract top talent and sell the vision to anyone that would listen.  Righting their wrongs. 

[The College Dropout]

I don’t want to re litigate it. But Athony Elanga is not a very good footballer at this level. Even if he becomes an effective player this needs to be watershed moment in our transfer approach Ala Antony at Man U.  
 

I don’t rate Amorim but Man U’s transfer business has been better since they admitted  their previous approach was yielding poor results. 

[Kimbo]

Yeah I just don’t think he has the technical ability or decision making to be a high level player. I don’t think the potential is there. We can probably use his pace in some scenarios, against tired legs etc, but I doubt I’ll ever see him as a starter. So basically we still need a Murphy replacement.

[TRon]

9 hours ago, Optimistic Nut said:

 

Why does Barnes always get lumped into these lists?

 

 

Because he's a depreciating asset probably. He's actually a good player, but with the financial constraints we are under, he will end up impacting us negatively when it comes to buying future stars. 

 

It's depressing having to think like this, but it's the reality. There again, if we can keep qualifying for CL year on year without buying, then we don't need new signings. 

[The College Dropout]

5 minutes ago, Kimbo said:

Yeah I just don’t think he has the technical ability or decision making to be a high level player. I don’t think the potential is there. We can probably use his pace in some scenarios, against tired legs etc, but I doubt I’ll ever see him as a starter. So basically we still need a Murphy replacement.

He can cross and he’s rapid. He has skills. But like Murphy - he doesn’t have the fundamental ability needed to be a high level player.  
So he can be a new version of Murphy at best.  But we still need a better player in that position.  

[Kid Icarus]

I'd take the point if he himself hadn't been undeniably the difference between qualifying for the Champions League and not.

 

It's all a bit cost of everything, value of nothing.

 

 

Edited January 3 by Kid Icarus

[nufc123]

22 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

- Barnes for £45m  

35-38m wasnt it?

 

 

Edited January 3 by nufc123

[Interpolic]

44 minutes ago, Jagten said:

Obviously that’s not what I was referring to my dude 

 

Let me be super clear for you: Howe has been great, being competitive has been great. However, to make the next step and elevate ourselves beyond perma-borderline CL club, we need to get better at talent ID, which has regressed. 

 

 

 

 

I keep seeing this about next step, next level, whatever. The next level is challenging for the title every season. Or let's say qualifying for the CL every single season, if you're breaking it down more finely. 

 

To do this we would need comparable revenue to the obvious six clubs. It's going to take an absolute age unless the rules change. Until then this (regular CL qualification, some good cup runs) is likely as good as it gets. I'm alright with that. 

 

It's not reasonable to demand the 7th or 8th top revenue club qualifies for the CL every season. And our "talent ID" may have regressed of late seemingly but you're taking all nuance out of that for whatever reasons. The nuance being we couldn't sign a proper player for 2 seasons, last summer was a mess with Isak and no DOF, and numerous players turned us down for these clubs we're expected by some to outperform. 

 

Your posts about anything and everything regarding NUFC are completely miserable tbh, and I'm baffled that there are so many of you like this atm when in relative terms this is one of the best and most promising times to support the club. 

 

 

Edited January 3 by Interpolic

[healthyaddiction]

1 minute ago, nufc123 said:

35-38m wasnt it?

 

 

 

Yeah, most places have it down as £38m. What do people think we would get for him if we sold him right now? I feel like we could get our money back.

[Fak]

44 minutes ago, Jagten said:

Obviously that’s not what I was referring to my dude 

 

Let me be super clear for you: Howe has been great, being competitive has been great. However, to make the next step and elevate ourselves beyond perma-borderline CL club, we need to get better at talent ID, which has regressed. 

 

It's taken a couple of days but great to see that you finally agree with yourself. 

 

 

 

[janpawel]

28 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Since Ashworth left we’ve:

sold 2 of our best youngsters in 2 critical positions. Legitimately costing us over £100m+
Signed Joelinton onto a massive contract when he was probably best sold

signed Gordon (which is good) to a new contract 

Failed to sign on Isak causing us uncertainty and disruption this summer at the least 

spent £70m on Wolte

spent £55m on Wissa

spent £55m on Elanga

spent £45m on Ramsey

spent £35m on Thiaw

spant £5m on Ramsdale for a loan

spent £15m on Osula and likely to make £25m in sale value 

lost out on about a dozen targets ranging from Guehi to Etikite to Sesko

Got Kelly for free and then sold him for £20m in the next window 

Not signed a new contract for Tino which is becoming a major issue 

sold Isak for £130m but it caused mass disruption to the summer 

sold Minteh for £30m - his value has likely increased 

sold Anderson for £35m his value has atleast doubled. And in return we signed Vlad for £20m. Essentially selling Anderson for £15m and he’s now worth at least £70m

 

I think that’s 90% of the key first team activity over the last 22 months transfer and contract wise (not including extensions for Schar and Burn).  It’s a mixed bag at best maybe 5 out of 10 probably a 4 imo. 
 

2 years prior to that brought us:

- Trippier for £10m

- Isak for £60m

- Tonali for £55m and an extension 

- Bruno for £35m and an extension and a release clause that has expired

- Burn for £10m

- Pope for £10m

- Botman for £35m

- Tino for £40m

- Barnes for £45m

- Hall for £35m

- Wood in and out for £20m a piece

- Gordon £45m

 

Thwres more but that’s 8.5 out of 10 at worst.  It’s the quality that got us our trophy and CL football. 
 

It’s night and day transfer wise since Ashworth and Staveley and co left. Our pull in the transfer market has fallen off a cliff since Staveley left.  The profile of player we sign and sell has gone entirely in the wrong direction since Ashworth left.  

 

Dan AshGOAT

[nufc123]

4 minutes ago, healthyaddiction said:

Yeah, most places have it down as £38m. What do people think we would get for him if we sold him right now? I feel like we could get our money back.

Looking back, the Barnes deal was really good.

 

 

Edited January 3 by nufc123

[TRon]

2 minutes ago, healthyaddiction said:

Yeah, most places have it down as £38m. What do people think we would get for him if we sold him right now? I feel like we could get our money back.

 

 

We shouldn't have to sell him, that's the thing. He's still in his prime for at least 2-3 years, but because we have to trade our way to equity with the cartel clubs, he will be seen as a depreciating asset. This despite us having owners who could buy all the cartel clubs put together.