Newcastle United is actively seeking a new right winger, seemingly their primary target for the summer transfer window.
With the return of Champions League football to St James` Park, the Magpies face a significant season and aim to bolster their right-wing options alongside Jacob Murphy.
After their attempt to sign Bryan Mbeumo was unsuccessful, Newcastle reportedly turned their attention to Anthony Elanga.
According to David Ornstein, their bid of approximately £45 million for Elanga was rejected by his current club, Nottingham Forest.
While a renewed offer for Elanga remains a possibility, reports have surfaced regarding alternative wide players Newcastle is now targeting.
Potential New Right-Wing Targets for Newcastle
Missing out on Elanga, a player they have apparently tracked for some time and tried to sign last summer, would be a setback for the North East club. However, they certainly have other prospects.
Having failed to secure Elanga, Newcastle appears to be pursuing new options. Keith Downie reported recently that the club is `exploring` moves for other players, including Borussia Dortmund winger Karim Adeyemi.
If Eddie Howe`s team decides to pursue the Germany international, his transfer could cost around £43 million.
Reports indicate interest from Juventus, Liverpool, and Chelsea in Adeyemi as well. It`s unclear if these clubs will compete directly with Newcastle or if Howe will have a clear path to signing his latest target.
Comparing Adeyemi and Anthony Elanga
At 23 years old, Adeyemi has accumulated substantial experience at the top level and has made a notable impact. He particularly impressed last season for Dortmund despite injury issues and is currently participating in the Club World Cup in the United States.
So far in the 2024/25 season, including the tournament in the US, he has played 38 matches, contributing an impressive 12 goals and nine assists. Achieving 21 goal contributions in just 2,261 minutes (equivalent to 25.1 full games) is a strong performance.
Newcastle is certainly aware of Adeyemi`s capabilities, having faced him twice in the Champions League. He provided an assist against them at Signal Iduna Park, using his speed and passing to set up Julian Brandt for a counter-attack goal.
Sweden international Elanga also had a successful Premier League season last term, appearing in all 38 of Forest`s matches, scoring six goals and providing 11 assists, including a remarkable goal against his former club, Manchester United.
These statistics are somewhat similar to Adeyemi`s Bundesliga output, where he was involved in 13 goals and assists in only 25 appearances.
Described as a “counter-attacking weapon” by Jacek Kulig and `unstoppable` by Ben Mattinson, Adeyemi`s speed is evident and comparable to Elanga`s pace. According to Speeds Database, Adeyemi`s top speed is 36.30 km/h.
Statistically, per FBref, Adeyemi`s metrics generally surpass Elanga`s. For instance, the German averaged 0.82 goal involvements and 0.69 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, while Elanga averaged 0.61 goals and assists and 0.65 goal-creating actions over the same period.
| Adeyemi vs. Elanga key stats compared | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stat (per 90) | Adeyemi | Elanga |
| Goals and assists | 0.82 | 0.61 |
| Goals per shot on target | 0.39 | 0.25 |
| Progressive carries | 4.28 | 3.67 |
| Take-ons completed | 2.52 | 0.90 |
| Goal-creating actions | 0.69 | 0.65 |
| Tackles and interceptions | 1.7 | 0.99 |
| Successful take-ons | 55% | 35.6% |
| Key passes | 0.65 | 0.88 |
| Dribbled past | 0.22 | 0.47 |
Note: Stats via FBref, correct as of publication.
The table clearly shows Adeyemi holds the edge in several key attacking and progressive metrics per 90 minutes. While Elanga is credited with slightly more key passes per 90, Adeyemi is significantly more successful in take-ons and is less likely to be dribbled past, suggesting better defensive engagement.
Given the statistical advantage and perhaps a higher ceiling at 23 compared to Elanga who is also 22 but with different performance metrics, Adeyemi could indeed be the superior signing for Newcastle United, offering more tangible output in front of goal and better progression with the ball.
