Newcastle could replace Elanga with “one of the best wingers” for £20m

Newcastle United are struggling for their best form in 2025/26. Eddie Howe’s side are a shadow of themselves from last season, with the Magpies winning the Carabao Cup and qualifying for the Champions League in one of their best campaigns in years.

Yet, it has been a far cry from that sort of level in 2025/26. They are struggling in the Premier League, languishing in 14th place in the table. In front of goal, they have been poor, too.

The North East giants have only managed to bag 23 goals this season.

It has been a poor start to the campaign for their attackers, but Anthony Elanga is someone struggling the most.

A look at Elanga’s start to life at Newcastle

The Manchester United academy graduate was one of the marquee signings at St James’ Park this summer. He moved to Newcastle from Nottingham Forest, costing a fee of £55m after some impressive performances in Garibaldi Red.

The 23-year-old is still largely quite inexperienced, with only a few good years of first-team football under his belt. Yet, for a man who cost such a fee, Magpies fans would have expected more than the two assists he has managed in 17 games.

Yet, some of Elanga’s biggest traits have been on show at times in a Magpies shirt. His blistering pace and physicality helped him get into a position to assist Nick Woltemade against Everton last month, and it was a clever pass which teed the German up.

His manager has spoken out in full support of the Swedish international.

Howe said, “I think better things are to come in the future from him.” That being said, it has certainly been an underwhelming start to life in the North East for the ex-Man United star.

Indeed, Newcastle could already be lining up a move for an attacker who could replace Elanga.

Newcastle could secure swift Elanga replacement

It was reported at the end of last week by Chronicle Live that Manchester City attacker Oscar Bobb has ‘popped up on Newcastle’s radar’ ahead of the January transfer window.

Valued at £20m, he could be an option to strengthen their attack this winter.

The 22-year-old has experienced something of a stop-start career so far. He’s only made 47 career appearances for the Citizens, suffering from a broken leg, which kept him sidelined for several months last season.

However, in the opportunities he has had so far, Bobb has made a solid impression. He is dangerous in the final third, with three goals and four assists so far. Newcastle know all too well the quality he has, after he scored a stoppage-time winner against them in 2023/24.

Bobb is a vastly different type of winger from Elanga. Where the Magpies’ number 20 has raw pace and loves to operate on the touchline, the Norwegian star is more effective in those half-spaces, where his technical brilliance on the ball can flourish.

That was another feature of the strike against his potential new club.

That technical ability is prevalent in his underlying stats from this season in the Premier League. The City academy graduate is averaging 1.92 key passes and 3.08 completed take-ons per 90 minutes, which rank him in the top 7% and 1% of top-flight midfielders this term.

One person who has been full of praise for the 22-year-old is BBC Sport analyst Umir Irfan. He lauded Bobb’s brilliance out wide, describing him as “one of the best wingers in football” as recently as August.

If the Magies were to bring Bobb in, he would add a vastly different profile to Elanga. Yet, that might be what Howe’s side needs. They already have a direct winger on the left in Anthony Gordon, so adding a bit of variety could benefit Newcastle.

For a fee of £20m, this could be one of the biggest bargains all winter, with Bobb adding a new profile and lots of quality to this Magpies side.

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