'Like a cheat code': Journalist knew Nottingham Forest player would become a star after seeing him in 2022
10/10/2024 01:30 PM
Nottingham Forest signed 11 new players during the summer transfer window with Elliot Anderson being one of the more eye-catching additions from Newcastle United.
The 21-year-old was part of some financial gymnastics that allowed both Forest and Newcastle to meet the PSR criteria.
Forest parted with £35 million to sign Anderson – but that didn’t tell the full story. Odysseas Vlachodimos went to Newcastle for £20 million to offset the difference between the two clubs.
Vlachodimos has played one game for Newcastle. He came off the bench in the Carabao Cup against AFC Wimbledon but is once again a third-choice goalkeeper at St James’ Park.
Meanwhile, the England under-21 star is proving money well spent at Forest. Alan Shearer praised Anderson for his efforts in the middle of the park when Forest won 1-0 at Anfield against Liverpool.
Eddie Howe didn’t want to sell Anderson during the summer. However, Newcastle were in desperate need of a sale and as an academy graduate, the £35 million received goes down on the PSR sheet as straight profit.
Journalist admits she knew Nottingham Forest player was special
Anderson was nicknamed the ‘Geordie Maradona’ during his time at Newcastle for his ability to skip beyond defenders in possession of the ball.
The youngster earned his stripes in the professional game, however, and spent time out on loan from Newcastle with Bristol Rovers in 2022.
Anderson performed well with the Gas, scoring eight goals and registering five assists during 21 appearances in League Two for the club.
Flo Lloyd-Hughes is a football journalist and a regular on the Wrighty’s House podcast and she has always seen the talent in Anderson as a player.
She told the latest episode of Wrighty’s House: “He was someone I saw on loan at Bristol Rovers in 2022 and it was like a cheat code! It’s great to see him establish at Forest. He’s one of their most important players now.”
Forest signing Anderson is a sign of change in recruitment strategy
Anderson is a player who even Forest might have been surprised was available. Newcastle liked him and with him being a product of the academy it will sting that a Geordie was allowed to leave ahead of his prime.
Their loss is Forests’s gain, however, and Anderson has looked the business during his seven games playing for the Reds so far – with his versatility to play in a number of positions definitely useful.
One thing that signing Anderson did do was signal to everyone that the recruitment model on Trentside was about to change and planning for the future was going to take centre stage.
At 21, Forest have tied down one of the country’s big talents and there is excitement surrounding the next few years over what Anderson might be capable of producing at the City Ground.
It appears as though the days of Forest signing players who are over the hill and seeking one final pay day are now a thing of the past.
Players like Anderson with bundles of energy and years left ahead of them in the game have to be the priority and it’s quality that the Reds have learned lessons from their previous transfer mistakes.
