Newcastle United will play Champions League football once again next season, but Eddie Howe will certainly know that first-team signings are needed if his side are to make headway after an extraordinary year.
Top five was secured, as was the Carabao Cup trophy after an incredible performance against Liverpool, who so dominantly won the Premier League.
Somehow, Howe achieved the feats with limited attacking options, but he’s seeking to rectify that in the summer transfer market.
Newcastle looking at Elanga alternative
Indeed, despite a slow start, The Athletic’s David Ornstein has revealed on Wednesday that the Magpies have seen a £45m offer rejected for Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga.
The Tricky Trees have no intention of selling, and while Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth and West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus have been also discussed, there’s another winger on British shores who could move to Tyneside this summer.
As per Football Insider, Celtic are determined to keep Nicolas Kuhn beyond the summer transfer window, although it’s anticipated that Newcastle and German club RB Leipzig will push to swipe his signature.
Brendan Rodgers considers the 25-year-old one of his most valuable players, but offers in and around £20m would likely be accepted by the Scottish champions.
Given the amount of money offered to Forest for Elanga, this might prove an incredibly shrewd piece of business for a Newcastle side boasting the fluent tactical conditions for such a player to flourish.
What Nicolas Kuhn could bring to Newcastle
Kuhn, who played for Ajax and Bayern Munich in his youth, joined Celtic from Rapid Vienna for just £3m in January 2024, and his stock has since risen considerably.
With 42 goal involvements from 68 matches across all competitions, the German winger hasn’t done too badly, even hailed for his “breathtaking” technical quality by Marvin Bartley.
With such sharp pace and dribbling skills, Kuhn fits the bill from a tactical perspective, with Howe questing for such a profile to add competition for the industrious Jacob Murphy on the right flank.
As you can see below, the Celtic star definitely boasts faculties that rival those of Elanga, albeit having performed his duties at a level of lower quality in the Scottish Premiership.
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League Stats 24/25 – Nicolas Kuhn vs Anthony Elanga |
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|---|---|---|
|
Stats (* per game) |
||
|
Matches (starts) |
32 (24) |
38 (31) |
|
Goals |
13 |
6 |
|
Assists |
9 |
11 |
|
Shots (on target)* |
1.9 (0.8) |
1.2 (0.6) |
|
Big chances missed |
9 |
6 |
|
Pass completion |
77% |
78% |
|
Big chances created |
11 |
9 |
|
Key passes* |
1.6 |
1.3 |
|
Dribbles* |
1.8 |
0.7 |
|
Tackles* |
1.2 |
0.5 |
|
Duels won* |
3.5 |
3.0 |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
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But even so, the winger takes things in his stride and likes to be in the thick of the action, making things happen. Moreover, his tenacious approach has led to impressive defensive metrics, always chipping in with tackles and duels.
He also carries the ball forward with regularity, although it must be said that Elanga’s low average in that regard is largely due to the pragmatic nature of Nuno Espirito Santo’s tactics.
Ultimately, Newcastle could find that they could sign a dynamic forward in Kuhn who is capable of special things, and for a portion of the price that Elanga would be available for.
Given the underlying strengths that point in the Hoops man’s favour, it might not turn out to be a bad thing for a Newcastle side in need of reinforcements across a wealth of positions.
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