Newcastle United will seek to freshen up their squad during the summer transfer window and there could be some painful separations ahead, according to reports.
Magpies midfielders Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes are immensely popular on Tyneside but both are expected to be in demand. With Newcastle in need of a rejuvenation and clubs incentivised by financial restrictions to increase squad turnover, there could be moves afoot.
If either or both swap the Premier League for Europe, Newcastle's recruitment decision-makers could have a nifty trick up their sleeves.
Newcastle ready to break the bank to secure an old favourite, according to a report
Two seasons after leaving Newcastle to join Nottingham Forest in a transfer understood to be motivated to a large degree by the aforementioned financial restrictions, England international midfield Elliot Anderson is reportedly in the frame for a return to his boyhood club.
"Sources indicate that if Newcastle were to lose either player, contingency plans are already being discussed internally and Anderson’s name has been mentioned as a potential replacement option," reports Graeme Bailey for TEAMtalk.
"The Magpies are bracing themselves for significant interest in their squad during the upcoming transfer window, with both Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali attracting attention from top clubs across Europe
"The Nottingham Forest and England ace is now valued up towards the £90m-£100m range. A move to Newcastle for anywhere close to that sum would smash the club’s all-time transfer record, which was set by Nick Woltemade (£69.3m) last summer."
Anderson was sold to Forest as a promising prospect in the summer of 2024, having made a total of 44 Premier League appearances for the Magpies. He signed on for five years and netted Newcastle a reported fee in the region of £35 million.
He has emerged as an elite talent, winning a handful of senior England caps and becoming one of the most highly regarded English midfielders in the top flight.
Anderson is expected to feature heavily at the World Cup under Thomas Tuchel but his club future is further muddied by Forest's uncertain league status.
Forest are now fighting for their Premier League survival under Vitor Pereira, their fourth manager of the 2025-26 season.
They're currently outside the relegation zone, sitting in 17th thanks to their superior goal difference over West Ham United.
On Thursday, they'll need to overcome a one-goal deficit against Midtjylland to remain in the Europa League. Elliot's destiny might not be changed by success in the relegation battle or Europe's secondary competition, but failure in the former would work in favour of a homecoming.
