'He's a Geordie!' - Elliot Anderson transfer prediction made by Newcastle legend that will annoy Manchester giants United and City

Tyneside native Anderson bid farewell to St James’ Park in 2024 when completing a switch to the City Ground. With starting berths proving hard to come by at Newcastle, the decision was taken to find regular game time elsewhere.

That big career call has been justified, with the hard-working playmaker seeing his stock soar on Trentside. Anderson has become a proven Premier League performer, posting division-high numbers in the ball recovery stakes, and has enjoyed a senior international breakthrough.

The European U21 Championship winner has reached six caps for the Three Lions and is expected to form part of Thomas Tuchel’s 2026 World Cup plans. A collection of eye-catching performances at that tournament will nudge his asking price up even further.

It has been suggested that United and City are already asking questions of what it would take for Anderson to swap the East Midlands for the North West. Newcastle cannot, however, be ruled out of any scramble for the most sought-after of signatures.

Magpies legend Waddle admits as much, with the former England star telling Fruity King: “Elliot Anderson is a Newcastle fan. He’s a Geordie. He probably couldn’t believe he got sold to Nottingham Forest in the first place but he’s enjoying his football, he’s in the England team, and it looks like he’ll be going to the World Cup.

“He'll not be in a rush but the chance of going back to Newcastle? I'm sure he's always wanted to play in those black and white stripes and I'm sure he'll be up for it. But I think, again, there'll be a lot of competition.

“I think he's on his game at the minute, let's be honest. He's playing well for Forest. He's consistent. Week in, week out he does a job, and so he's been in good form. You would think at his age, he'd only get better as he gets older. Most players do.

“There'll be a lot of teams eyeing him up so you'd have a lot to pick from if he does decide to leave Forest. Newcastle may just swing it because he’s a Newcastle fan.”

Newcastle may end up with money to spend, allowing them to join the clamour for Anderson, if Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali or Brazilian talisman Bruno Guimaraes move on. They have been linked with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd.

Waddle added on potential sales and the fees that could be generated - allowing Magpies boss Eddie Howe to reinvest elsewhere: “In the transfer market today you’re looking at £70-80 million for a player like Sandro Tonali or Bruno Guimaraes, let’s be honest, but probably a bit more in actual fact.

“Playing for Newcastle at their ages, you’d be looking for around £80-90 million if somebody wants to pay that for him, then it’s up to the lads whether they want to leave, but Newcastle don’t need to sell them.

“They’re all on good, long-term contracts. The only way they’d sell him is if the player decides he wants to go and starts acting up and we don’t want to see that again.

“If players like Tonali and Bruno have had enough of it on Tyneside, they should come out and say it. Tell the fans and be honest and say after the World Cup, I want to move. I want to leave. Put it out there. Let the fans react to the facts. Don’t do it in a sneaky way.

“If somebody puts a bid in for you and the club accepts it, that's a different story. But if you want to leave, just say it.”

Part of the problem for Newcastle, when it comes to attracting new players to the club and retaining those already on their books, is that they sit 12th in the Premier League table with seven games left to take in this season and are in danger of missing out on European qualification for 2026-27.