Anthony Elanga has been strongly linked with a move away this summer, which will see Manchester United profit owing to a sell-on clause
When Anthony Elanga got his chance to play in Manchester United’s first-team, it was a very difficult period for the club, with the squad in disarray following Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s sacking, and a number of poor displays in the Premier League.
Despite this, when given his chance by interim boss Ralf Rangnick, Elanga took it with both hands, with his displays lifting spirits at Old Trafford, and improving form slightly, though the league campaign was ultimately disappointing.
When Erik ten Hag came through the door, Elanga couldn’t keep his place in the squad, and with Marcus Rashford also statistically having the best season of his career, the then 20-year-old struggled for regular minutes, used mostly as a backup.
At the end of the 2022/23 campaign, Elanga made the switch from Old Trafford to the City Ground, signing for Nottingham Forest for £15 million.
United to profit from Elanga sale
After an impressive 2024/25 Premier League campaign which saw Elanga score six and assist 11, he has attracted interest from Newcastle United, who saw a £45 million bid rejected for the Swedish winger.
As reported by The Shields Gazette, via Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie, Newcastle’s pursuit is far from over. He said: “All the noises are that Elanga is the number one choice. I feel that deal will get done. Newcastle aren’t in competition with anyone and they know that they are close in terms of the fee.
“They offered £45m last week but Forest want £60m. I feel if Newcastle split the difference and offered £52-53m, they’d get the deal done, and I’d hope there will be some movement on that in the next few days.”
Should Nottingham Forest sell Elanga, United would be in line for a share of the profits due to a sell-on clause that was included when they sold the Academy prospect, entitling them to 20% of any profit Forest make on the player.
If a £53 million fee is agreed, like the aforementioned report mentioned, that means the club would make a £38 million profit on their £15 million investment, meaning United would pocket £7.6 million, which would go towards what is proving to be a critical transfer window for the club.
United’s poor selling strategy over the years
Selling Anthony Elanga for just £15 million in July 2023 adds him to a growing list of players Manchester United have offloaded cheaply, only to later move on for much higher fees.
Perhaps the most infamous example is Paul Pogba, who left United on a free in 2012, returned for a record £90 million in 2016, and then departed on a free again back to Juventus in 2022, highlighting a pattern of poor transfer strategy.
Other players like Wilfried Zaha, Angel Gomes, and Alvaro Fernandez have also shown promise after leaving Old Trafford and could arguably have made meaningful contributions had they been given more time at the club.
Given United’s precarious financial position, it’s more important than ever to develop and retain homegrown talent rather than selling them prematurely and see them move on for much higher fees a short time after leaving the club.
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