As Anthony Elanga draws closer to joining Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest is already looking at potential replacements for the winger. While there were rumors of Aston Villa trying to swoop in for Elanga, it seems Newcastle has secured the deal with a reported total of £60m including bonuses after intense negotiations.
With Elanga set to leave, Forest is eyeing PSV’s Johan Bakayoko as a suitable replacement. Bakayoko, known for his electric pace and decision-making in the final third, has caught the attention of Forest’s recruitment team as well as other top clubs like Borussia Dortmund.
Interestingly, Newcastle had also considered Bakayoko as an alternative to Elanga, highlighting the similarity in their profiles. This is not lost on Forest, who had previously shown interest in Bakayoko before signing Elanga.
Back in 2022, it was Steve Cooper who had targeted Bakayoko while managing Forest, but a deal never materialized. Now, with Forest looking to build on their progress from last season, they hope to convince Bakayoko to make the move this time around.
Notable Belgian players like Romelu Lukaku have praised Bakayoko for his improving stats and potential to become a top-tier player. With Lukaku’s endorsement and Forest’s ambition, Bakayoko could be the perfect replacement for Elanga.
