Newcastle United knew they would make forward progress after PIF completed their much-anticipated takeover in 2021, but the appointment of manager Eddie Howe has helped grease the wheels and then some.
There have, of course, been bumps in the road, but the Magpies have qualified for the Champions League across two of the past three Premier League campaigns; last year, they won the Carabao Cup after beating Liverpool in the final.
One of Howe’s biggest strengths, aside from his deep tactical understanding and awareness of how to bring many players together, is his ability to keep a bond knitted through his side. Togetherness and Toon DNA.
That’s why selling Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest was such a bitter thing. Academy gems are crucial for a team rising to the top, and this Howe knows.
Elliot Anderson's return to Newcastle
When Anderson stepped out at Newcastle on Sunday, he did so with the knowledge that Howe had publicly intimated his interest in bringing him back to the club.
Sold. £35m. August 2024. Nottingham Forest benefitted from United’s financial troubles, losing a homegrown player who had clear and compelling potential.
Maybe Sunday’s showdown has reinforced in Anderson’s mind the potential for a return to Tyneside, a permanent return. After all, Howe revealed last week that he would be keen on welcoming the 22-year-old back to St. James’ Park.
And for good reason: Anderson is a “do-it-all midfielder”, as said by analyst Ben Mattinson, and the statistics back that up.
Matches (starts)
37 (33)
7 (7)
Goals
2
0
Assists
6
1
Touches*
54.2
103.3
Pass completion
82%
89%
Key passes*
1.0
1.1
Dribbles*
1.0
1.3
Ball recoveries*
5.6
7.9
Tackles + interceptions*
2.5
3.7
Duels (won)*
6.5 (52%)
7.9 (57%)
Newcastle must ensure something similar does not happen again. There are a number of high-quality prospects waiting in the wings, and none more so than Seung-soo Park, who may even be a bigger talent than Anderson – and the rest.
Meet Seung-soo Park
This summer, Newcastle signed Park from K League 2 side Suwon Bluewings for an undisclosed fee. He posted a goal and three assists across 27 appearances in South Korea and landed on Tyneside as a potential superstar.
Primarily appearing down the left channel, the 18-year-old is fleet-footed and powerful when on the ball, and he made a positive impression during pre-season.
Thailand’s Brazilian coach Emerson Pereira has singled out the youngster’s “dangerous” presence on the ball, so direct and slippery when taking on defenders. He is always willing to cause his opponents problems, and if he can marry this with requisite athletic improvements that come with growing up, he may well be a fierce forward indeed.
So fast is the winger that he has even been described by Asian football expert John Duerden as being “similar to Mbappé”, and if he can refine his shooting ability over the coming years, this could be quite the addition for Howe’s starting line-up.
So far, he has only featured six times for Newcastle’s development side, although it’s curious to note that he was named on the bench for United’s Premier League opener against Aston Villa, an unused substitute.
It will take time before he reaches the fluent level to sustain a place in the first team, but Anderson was a part of Newcastle’s U21 squad when he was Park’s age, then spent the second half of the 2021/22 campaign on loan in League Two with Bristol Rovers.
Park has the skills and the playing style to rocket right to the top, and by keeping hold of this one, Newcastle might even strike gold with an even bigger talent than Anderson, the one who got away.
