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Report: Nottingham Forest eye Newcastle wonderkid Elliot Anderson
By Kurt Leyland
Nottingham Forest are reportedly interested in a move for Newcastle United youngster Elliot Anderson, according to the Sunday Mirror.
The young attacking midfielder is currently on loan with Bristol Rovers in League 2, having joined on loan during the January transfer window. Since signing for the club the 19-year-old has put in a series of strong performances for Joey Barton’s side as they aim for promotion into League One.
Anderson has a bright future ahead of him and has already registered three goals and three assists during his loan spell. Barton has been quoted by The Newcastle Chronicle that his side will need to secure promotion to have any chance of keeping the loanee beyond this summer.
It appears that Barton will face competition from a host of Championship sides for Anderson with the Sunday Mirror reporting via their print edition [3 April, page 70] the likes of Nottingham Forest, Preston North End and QPR all being linked with loan moves in the summer transfer window.
Championship loan move best for Anderson
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Anderson looks an exciting prospect for the Magpies, but game time is needed at a higher level if he is to make the next step up in his footballing career.
If Newcastle are to survive in the Premier League, then there will undoubtedly be a huge emphasis on recruitment in the summer transfer window which will restrict any opportunities for Anderson to break into the first team. Therefore, a Championship loan spell could prove the perfect test for the midfielder.
Since Dane Murphy’s arrival as CEO at Nottingham Forest and the appointment of former England Under 17 manager Steve Cooper, there has been a greater emphasis on recruiting young talent at Nottingham Forest rather than signing players on high wages from other European leagues.
If Nottingham Forest do remain in the Championship, they will undoubtedly be in the market for a player to bolster their attacking options. Star striker Lewis Grabban, 34, will be out of contact in the summer and it is expected Keinan Davis will return to Aston Villa after his loan spell.
This season Nottingham Forest have been a club on the up and they could prove to be a very viable option to harness the potential for Anderson.
In other Newcastle United news, Santiago Munoz could save Eddie Howe millions.