Anthony Elanga reveals Kobe Bryant & LeBron James inspiration after leaving Man Utd where he was 'never improving'

Elanga decided to leave Old Trafford last summer in search of more minutes. He was snapped up by Forest in a £15 million ($19m) deal, and hasn't looked back after emerging into a key player under Nuno Espirito Santo.

Elanga's performances at the City Ground, especially compared to fellow winger Antony's at United, certainly raise questions about the Red Devils' decision to let him leave. But he's happy at Forest, who are riding high in fourth place in the Premier League, and admitted during an interview with The Athletic that he felt as though he was "never improving" at his former club.

“I made the right decision, 100 per cent,” Elanga said.

“I have not really spoken about this, but at the time at United, I was very young and I was coming into a team that was struggling. Yes, there was the thought that, ‘I am playing for Manchester United’. But I also never felt as though I was improving. I was playing for the sake of playing when I did get the odd opportunity off the bench.

“Coming to Forest was so big for me, because suddenly I was regularly playing 90 minutes, while having the opportunity to improve. When I played, I felt like I had purpose; like I was playing and improving in the process. That was the biggest change for me. I feel as though I know the league inside-out now, because I have had the chance to learn. I have no regrets, because I am enjoying playing fantastic football with this team. We are in a really good place at the moment.”

Elanga also opened up about his influences, admitting he's taken things from NBA legends LeBron James and the late Kobe Bryant.

“I like to meditate. That relaxes me. I read the Bible. I am also reading a book called Relentless, about Kobe Bryant," he added. "I like to read about the mentality of other athletes in the past and how they reacted to certain situations and challenges. How did they get success?

“It teaches you to stay grounded and humble. To work hard. LeBron James is another of the biggest examples of what you can achieve if you invest in yourself; if you look after yourself. That is so important to me. If I invest in myself… the only person who will stop me becoming what I become is myself."

Forest have been one of the success stories of the season and will try to keep the good times going when they visit Brentford on Saturday.