How Newcastle United’s elite wingmen can ensure The Magpies soar again with Anthony Elanga joining Anthony Gordon, Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy
Updated 15/08/2025 at 16:14 GMT+1
Ahead of their opening game of the Premier League season away at Villa Park against Aston Villa, Pete Sharland takes a look at Newcastle United and their big summer signing, Anthony Elanga. There’s a noticeable sense of unease around Tyneside at the moment, but the signing of Elanga can provide hope regardless of the outcome of the Alexander Isak saga.
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If you took a family holiday around the North Pennines this summer, you might have noticed a slightly subdued atmosphere on Tyneside.
Newcastle United did secure UEFA Champions League football despite a 1-0 home defeat to Everton on the final day of the season, but since then, the mood has been more muted. Even Eddie Howe said the club had suffered a "difficult time" during the early stages of pre-season.
They had to watch as local rivals Sunderland finally ended their sojourn in the lower leagues of England by winning the Championship play-off final.
The Black Cats subsequently celebrated their promotion by going on a spending spree, splashing out almost £120 million on eight players. Two more have arrived on a free, with another coming in on loan.
Only last year's top four plus Manchester United have outspent the Black Cats thus far.
In contrast, before the arrival of Malick Thiaw from AC Milan this week (and the reported arrival of Jacob Ramsey), Newcastle had been outspent by all bar Brentford, Bournemouth, Saturday’s opponents Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Fulham. Only the Cottagers have fewer arrivals this summer.
And to top it all off, there is the Alexander Isak saga.
The Swedish striker wants out, with Liverpool active admirers, and Newcastle are digging in and trying to keep him. However, the problem right now is that manager Eddie Howe has admitted that he simply cannot pick Isak, but on the flip side, if he hasn’t been sold, then there are no other reinforcements coming in.
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'Let's see what happens' - Howe admits Isak situation 'far from ideal' after rejected bid
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Which is why in the team’s most recent friendly, a 2-0 loss to Atletico Madrid, Anthony Gordon played up front, probably giving fans a hint as to what to expect against Villa.
Speaking of which, the pre-season hasn’t been great either. Newcastle opened up against Carlisle, winning 4-0, but that was the last time they tasted victory. As well as that defeat to Atletico there have been losses to Arsenal and a K-League XI as well as draws against Tottenham Hotspur and Espanyol.
Pre-season certainly doesn’t mean everything, but the club could have used one or two more wins to spread some positive vibes about the place.
And yet there is some light in the darkness, a black and white striped lining if you will.
It comes in the shape of Newcastle’s collection of wingers. Last season in the Premier League, Newcastle’s trio of Gordon, Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes registered 46 goals and assists between them. Aside from Liverpool (and specifically Mohamed Salah) no other team in the league had three predominantly wide players last season who could match that figure.
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Gordon ‘continues brilliant run’ with tidy finish as Isak grabs assist
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Isak stole the headlines with his 23 goals – only Salah scored more – but the work of his surrounding wingers was just as important to the way Newcastle played last season. They are a key reason why the Geordies are part of the Champions League race every season.
And now they’re adding 17 more G+A to the roster with the signing of Elanga. Having left Manchester United in the summer of 2023, Elanga immediately proved why he was deserving of a regular starting spot in the Premier League with five goals and nine assists. Last season he improved on that tally with six goals and 11 assists, as Nottingham Forest qualified for Europe.
Now he moves north to join what was already a fearsome trio of wingers. It’s like The Three Musketeers when they let D’Artagnan tag along for their adventures and this is important. The wingers, not the Musketeers.
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'Has to be right for Newcastle' - Howe responds to Isak transfer speculation
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Newcastle are a club of wingers. From Chris Waddle and Kevin Keegan to David Ginola and Faustino Asprilla in the 80s and 90s to Nolberto Solano, Jonas Gutierrez and Hatem Ben Arfa in the 2000s onwards. St James’ Park is at its best when it is roaring on a winger with the ball at their feet, breaking with speed.
If you can, take a moment to sit and think of the times you’ve watched a Newcastle game, and when you can feel St James’ through your TV. Those moments come when Newcastle win the ball in their defensive third and quickly spray the ball out wide.
A winger, galloping into space like a gazelle, or some kind of science-enhanced, turbo-charged magpie. A low cross across the six-yard box and a striker, or perhaps more aptly the opposite winger, thumping the ball into the net, St James’ erupts.
So just watch this goal.
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'Sensational' Elanga goes the length of the pitch to stun Man Utd with a worldie
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And imagine that Elanga is in black and white, imagine we’re at St James’, and then imagine the noise, imagine the emotion. Now do you get it?
Speaking after that goal, Elanga told TNT Sports, "I’ve seen the space and like I’ve said before, I think I’m one of the fastest players in the league and if I’m going to back that, I’m going to have to show that on the pitch and I think that’s what I did for my goal.
"All you want to do is just keep on improving, and I feel like coming here it’s about playing and developing every single day. I know I’m not the finished article, I feel I can improve every single area of my game."
Elanga is 23, Gordon 24 and Barnes 27. Murphy is the oldest of the group at 30. This unit is not just one of the best in the entire league, they can keep getting better over the next few years.
Elanga, with his box of tricks and his bundles of energy, is the perfect addition to this club, this fanbase, and this city. Things are tough right now, Newcastle fans, but there is hope on the horizon. Just don’t blink, you might miss him.
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