TEAMtalk have started a rumour suggesting Harvey Barnes could be used as bait, in order to bring Anthony Elanga to the club.

TEAMtalk have started a rumour suggesting Harvey Barnes could be used as bait, in order to bring Anthony Elanga to the club.

 

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Harvey Barnes for Anthony Elanga? A Media Myth That Misses Newcastle United’s Vision

In the chaotic swirl of transfer season, stories emerge daily, some grounded in fact, others born of speculation and fuelled by the content-hungry media machine. One such rumour — recently pushed by TEAMtalk — claims Newcastle United may be willing to use Harvey Barnes as part of a deal to sign Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga.

For many Newcastle supporters, this is the latest in a string of implausible and illogical whispers that prompt one question: why do local outlets continue amplifying speculation from sources with questionable credibility, like TEAMtalk or Football Insider? And more crucially: why would Newcastle, a club building toward sustainable European competitiveness, weaken one flank just to marginally adjust the other?

Let’s unpack the rumour, dissect the motivations behind such reporting, and explore what this tells us about the real direction of Newcastle United — and why swapping Barnes for Elanga doesn’t add up.

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The Rumour: Barnes Out, Elanga In?

According to TEAMtalk, Newcastle United are interested in signing Anthony Elanga, the Swedish international and former Manchester United winger, currently at Nottingham Forest. Elanga, 22, had a solid 2023–24 season at the City Ground, scoring 5 goals and providing 8 assists in the Premier League. His pace, directness, and work rate have made him an intriguing target for several top-half sides.

The twist in the rumour is the claim that Newcastle could offer Harvey Barnes as part of a swap deal to bring Elanga to St. James’ Park.

To fans who have watched Newcastle evolve carefully under Eddie Howe, this claim immediately raises eyebrows. It contradicts both strategic logic and the squad-building philosophy that’s been evident for the last three years. Yet, it spreads.

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Who’s Pushing This and Why?

It’s no secret that outlets like TEAMtalk and Football Insider are often accused of speculative content over sourced journalism. Unlike the likes of The Athletic, BBC Sport, or respected local voices like The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder, these sites tend to churn out stories that draw attention, especially during the transfer window.

What’s more concerning is how some local media re-amplify these stories without questioning their foundations — presenting them as plausible when, in reality, they often fail the simplest logic test.

In the case of Barnes-for-Elanga, it’s a classic example of narrative over nuance — selling clicks rather than selling the truth.

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The Barnes Situation: More Valuable Than Perceived

Harvey Barnes was signed last summer from Leicester City for around £38 million, and although injuries limited his first season in black and white, when fit, he made an impact — scoring 7 goals in 21 appearances. That’s a strike rate of one goal every three games, a highly respectable figure for a wide man, especially one playing second fiddle to the red-hot Anthony Gordon.

Let’s be clear: Barnes is not a squad filler. He is a Premier League-proven winger, aged 26, entering his peak years, and capable of starting or impacting games off the bench. His left-footedness adds balance to the left flank, and his ability to cut inside, shoot from range, and make late runs into the box offers something different from Gordon’s high-energy directness.

Offloading him now — particularly when his value has not yet been fully realised — would be a baffling move, especially just to bring in another winger who operates on the opposite side.

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Elanga: A Decent Player, But Not a Priority

To be fair to Anthony Elanga, his development at Forest has been commendable. After struggling for minutes at Manchester United, he has matured into a more refined winger, improving his decision-making and final-third output.

However, from Newcastle’s perspective, he does not represent a clear upgrade over any current right-wing option, nor is he versatile enough to play on the left.

Currently, the club has:

Anthony Gordon on the left — first choice, future England regular.

Harvey Barnes — direct competition and impact sub, proven Premier League scorer.

Miguel Almirón — right winger, workhorse, occasional goal threat.

Jacob Murphy — utility winger, valuable squad player with work ethic and tactical discipline.

Where does Elanga fit into this?

In theory, he could challenge Almirón or Murphy for the right-wing slot. But even then, it’s a marginal gain. The idea that you would weaken the left side — where Gordon and Barnes form a potent one-two punch — in order to make a slight improvement on the right side makes no footballing sense.

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Squad Building: Depth, Not Lateral Movement

Let’s take a step back and look at the bigger picture.

Newcastle are not just assembling a starting XI. They’re building a squad capable of competing in four competitions, with Champions League football still a goal and domestic cup runs taken seriously under Eddie Howe.

That means building depth, variety, and competition in every position. Let’s look at what that looks like in practice:

On the left: Gordon and Barnes — pace, finishing, tactical contrast.

On the right: Almirón, Murphy, potentially Elanga — pace, pressing, width.

Through the middle: Isak and Wilson, with wide players capable of tucking in.

To remove Barnes to add Elanga is to rob Peter to pay Paul. The left-wing dynamic would suffer, and the gain on the right would be minor at best.

Squad depth is about having multiple tools for different tactical scenarios. Barnes gives you direct goal threat off the bench. Elanga, while quick and hardworking, is not yet as decisive in the final third. And he certainly hasn’t shown the level of output Barnes has over multiple seasons.

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The Eddie Howe Factor

One element often overlooked in these media stories is the manager’s influence on squad planning.

Eddie Howe has shown time and again that he values:

Character and attitude over mere talent.

Positional flexibility and tactical understanding.

Consistency and adaptability.

Barnes fits this profile. He waited patiently behind Gordon, took his chances, and never complained. Howe has praised him repeatedly for his professionalism and goal threat.

Would Howe sanction letting Barnes go after one injury-affected season? Highly doubtful — especially considering the club’s wider goal of creating two competitive players for each position.

Elanga, while talented, may not even be on Howe’s radar unless a spot opens up on the right flank — and even then, it’s unlikely the manager would weaken another area to accommodate that.

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FFP and Financial Reality

Financial Fair Play (FFP) is a concern — no question. Newcastle must make smart sales and stay within the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.

But selling Barnes, who hasn’t yet depreciated significantly and offers high upside, just to balance books or make room for Elanga would be incredibly short-sighted.

If Newcastle are to sell this summer, it’ll likely be:

Peripheral players like Ryan Fraser, Jamal Lewis, or Emil Krafth.

Possibly Miguel Almirón, who has attracted interest from Saudi Pro League clubs.

Or Callum Wilson, depending on incoming offers and fitness expectations.

Barnes simply isn’t in the “for sale” column.

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Fan Reaction: “Don’t Weaken the Left”

The reaction among Newcastle fans online has been almost universally dismissive of the rumour — and rightly so.

The logic is simple: if you have one of the league’s most in-form left-wingers (Gordon) and a proven goal-scoring backup (Barnes), you don’t disrupt that chemistry. Especially not to bolster a different position without genuine need.

Yes, fans would welcome a younger, high-ceiling winger to eventually replace Almirón or Murphy — but not at the expense of depth on the opposite flank.

And certainly not in a straight swap that sees you lose goals and experience for raw potential.

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Conclusion: Time to Filter the Noise

In modern football, transfer rumours have become an industry. Content creation around potential signings often outpaces real scouting, real negotiations, and actual club strategy. Outlets like TEAMtalk feed that machine, often with little accountability for accuracy.

The Barnes-for-Elanga rumour is, in truth, a fantasy — a speculative suggestion dressed up as reporting. It doesn’t align with Newcastle’s needs, the manager’s vision, or the financial logic of squad construction.

The club’s aim is not to swap assets laterally, but to build a layered, flexible, and deep squad that can compete with the elite. Barnes is very much a part of that.

As fans, it’s important to call out lazy narratives and demand better from the media landscape. Newcastle United’s journey is too important, too intelligent, and too well-executed to be misrepresented by shallow reporting.

So the next time a dubious outlet suggests the club will let go of a key squad player to bring in a marginal upgrade elsewhere, take it with more than just a pinch of salt. Take it as an opportunity to remind yourself of this club’s real trajectory — and just how far it’s already come.

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June 2025 | St. James’ Park, Newcastle

Let me know if you’d like this adapted into an opinion column, blog post, or formatted as a social media thread.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Firstly they’re not in the know, same as the likes of Football Insider, winging it as they go (no pun intended), yet local media keep pushing these two awful media firms? Why would Newcastle let a winger go, just to bring another in?

The aim is to build a strong squad, to have options from the bench – Barnes is great competition for Gordon. Why would you lose one on the left flank, to gain another on the other wing, so Elanga can be competition for Murphy, meanwhile weakening our left side