Now made public – Jamie Reuben importance in getting Anthony Elanga deal done | OneFootball

Some interesting details have now emerged on the Anthony Elanga deal, with it made public that Jamie Reuben (pictured above) played a key role in the transfer happening.

The Athletic revealing that Jamie Reuben (who heads up the Reuben family minority 15 per cent stake in Newcastle United) has a very positive relationship with Evangelos Marinakis.

That existing friendship with the Nottingham Forest owner allowing direct dialogue to help make the deal happen.

Whilst Anthony Elanga was clearly desperate for the move to Newcastle United to happen, Forest clearly were desperate to keep the winger.

You certainly can’t imagine Evangelos Marinakis being the easiest person to deal with and now it has emerged that Nottingham Forest have also been aware that they were almost certainly set to lose Morgan Gibbs-White as well, with it revealed he has a £60m release clause. A release clause that it is now reported Tottenham have activated.

So the idea of losing now one, but two, of their very best players, on top of missing out on Champions League football on the final day of last season, the Forest owner would clearly not have been in a happy place as Newcastle United have relentlessly pursued Anthony Elanga.

The Athletic say that with Eddie Howe determined to at last sign longstanding target Elanga, it was his nephew Andy Howe (Assistant head of first team recruitment) who was the main point of official contact with Nottingham Forest.

Whilst we all want to see new signings arrive ASAP, I think you also have to accept that at times, some deals are tougher to get done than others. Especially when you are talking about a quality player such as Anthony Elanga who you want for your first team AND to take from the first team of another club, who are desperate not to sell him.

The Athletic report on Newcastle United signing Anthony Elanga – 11 July 2025:

‘Eddie Howe pushed for a first-XI-ready player and Andy Howe was the main point of contact, driving the deal. Jamie Reuben, Newcastle’s minority stakeholder, enjoys a positive relationship with Evangelos Marinakis, Forest’s owner, and their direct dialogue proved important. Ross Wilson, Forest’s chief football officer who has been interviewed for the vacant sporting director position on Tyneside, was not involved, though Edu, their new global head of football, is already exerting influence.

As The Athletic revealed on Monday, a £52m deal was agreed, plus a few million in bonuses which are deemed difficult to achieve. That makes Elanga the third-most expensive player in Newcastle’s history, behind Alexander Isak (£60m) and Sandro Tonali (£55m).