Eddie Howe admits Newcastle would welcome Geordie star back after £35M exit

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has conceded he would gladly welcome Elliot Anderson back at St James’ Park after the midfielder’s £35m [$47m] departure to Nottingham Forest in July 2024, a transfer forced by profit and sustainability rules which left the club with no alternative.

The academy graduate, who joined Newcastle at the age of eight and made his senior debut in January 2021, played 55 times for his boyhood club before being sold to plug a £70m [$94m] shortfall that threatened a 10 point deduction.

Since leaving Tyneside Anderson has become an integral part of a Nottingham Forest side that qualified for the Europa League, while also earning his first England cap and securing a place in Thomas Tuchel’s latest squad for their upcoming fixtures against Wales and Latvia.

What Eddie Howe said?

Howe was respectful for the fact he has joined another club but also admitted that he never wanted to sell homegrown talent.

“I’m very respectful of the fact he is at another football club and I would never normally talk about a player in that way, so, I won’t change that stance but … yeah… it is very regretful,” Howe said via [Telegraph]

“A player from the academy who had given so much, and the club had given so much to, all those years here and how people tried to develop those talents, for him not to be utilised here is a real shame. “

“It [his sale] didn’t sit right with me then, doesn’t sit right with me today that we, as a football club, were forced to make a decision that we didn’t want to make. And a player that had given everything to rise through the ranks here to try to play for Newcastle, that was ended by financial restrictions. ”

“I do think it is slightly sad that academy products are now seen as a vehicle to sell and generate profit. That side of it, for me, just doesn’t go in tune with the development of players which, ultimately, is crucial at the younger age.”

“We knew we were selling him at a bargain price. We knew that the minute it was going to happen, or likely to happen, that we were massively selling him at a big discount. “

“But the position we were in, we weren’t in a very strong negotiating position at all. And it was that or a points deduction. So, I’ve said many times, we had no choice but to make the sale, but it was not one we wanted to do.”