Nottingham Forest was involved in a number of moves during the summer transfer window, but they did it with greater care.
Eleven new players were brought in, two of them, David Carmo and Marko Stamenic, went straight on season-long loan to Olympiacos.
The group’s average age dropped as a result of the players who were coveted because they appeared younger and had a high level of resale value.
The fact that everyone seemed to be signing from the same script was the main driving force behind this summer’s recruitment effort.
After Forest sold more than 20 excess players, only Emmanuel Dennis is still with the team as a member of the bomb squad, which was previously bursting at the seams.
Elliot Anderson’s agreement was one that attracted attention. Newcastle offered him £35 million, and both teams were eager to fulfill the Premier League’s PSR requirements.
Why Evangelos Marinakis drove deal to sign Elliot Anderson
The fact that Marinakis was the driving force behind Anderson’s signing from Newcastle may come as a surprise, given the owner prefers foreign players to be acquired.
Nevertheless, the Daily Mail asserts that Marinakis pursued Anderson alone and was eager to close the sale.
The owner is said to have pushed for the signing of the England under-21 international because he believes the player would make a perfect backup for Morgan Gibbs-White should the player ever leave.
Although Anderson can play as a number 10, he has mostly played as a central midfielder or out wide throughout his tenure at Forest.
Since Gibbs-White was retained by Forest this summer, there is now no risk that the England international will leave the team.
But that moment might arrive in the future, and it appears like Anderson was signed with that in mind.
Anderson already looks like money well spent
While £35 million may seem like a lot, it’s important to consider the wider picture. To partially counterbalance the amount, Odysseas Vlachodimos moved to Newcastle for a fee of £20 million.
In that specific transaction, Forest undoubtedly received a better deal, and Anderson already appears to be a talented young man.
Under Nuno Espirito Santo, he has rapidly established himself on the squad, and thus far, his work rate has been a true asset to his game.
Given that Anderson is only 21 years old, Forest has locked him down before he can have his greatest years as a player, which clearly hurts Newcastle.
It’s already fascinating to see what Anderson can accomplish at the football club, and the Reds will give him additional opportunities to play regularly in the first squad.
