Nottingham Forest look set for an extended fight to keep hold of Anthony Elanga as Newcastle United have returned with an improved bid for the winger.
Newcastle reporters are confident they’ll sign Elanga this summer after being extensively linked with the Swedish star for over a year, but Forest are standing firm on their valuation.
The Magpies have so far reached £45m in their bids, a fair distance away from the Reds’ £60m valuation that they have very little reason to budge on.
Nottingham Forest News reported that Elanga is showing no signs of wanting to leave Forest, but the club’s resolve has been tested once more with a fresh bid.
Newcastle United edge closer to Anthony Elanga valuation with new bid
It was said that Newcastle could end their Elanga pursuit to sign Joao Pedro from Brighton, but with the Brazilian now heading to Chelsea, Eddie Howe’s side will hone in on Forest’s star.
According to The Chronicle, Newcastle have returned to the table with an increased bid for Elanga, but not one that will necessarily change Forest’s stance.
The report said: “Newcastle have touched base again with Nottingham Forest with an improved offer of over £50m.”
Again, Forest’s stance on a deal for Elanga is pretty clear with the £60m valuation not up for negotiation, so it depends on how much over the £50m listed the bid actually is.
If it doesn’t get close to the valuation, then Evangelos Marinakis will be well within his rights to end any conversations between the two clubs, or potentially request a player in return to help incentivise the deal.
The control remains in Evangelos Marinakis’ hands over Anthony Elanga
£50m won’t be enough for Marinakis to accept outright, but the increased bid may at the very least be a sign of intention from the Magpies to not see the negotiations end completely.
If £60m is never going to happen, though, this is where the Forest owner can start evaluating whether any of Newcastle’s current stars are worth including in the deal as an alternative to a straight fee.
One option already touted was Harvey Barnes being included in the Elanga deal, but even the addition of the Englishman would still require a significant sum on top.
Newcastle look set to remain at the negotiation table as long as they continue to increase their bids, giving Forest plenty of time to decide whether or not to consider adding a player swap to the mix or to remain firm on the £60m fee.
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