EXCLUSIVE: Anthony Elanga on why he has no regrets over swapping Man United for Nottingham Forest, what it’s like to play with Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic… and who he tips to be the Red Devils’ next big star!
Anthony Elanga was already trained by football greats Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Now he is charting his own path to success after leaving Manchester United.
From Sweden to Manchester and as far away as Nottingham Forest, he speaks with an adopted Mancunian accent and at the City Ground he is beginning to find his footballing voice in a new ‘home’.
Elanga was one of seven first-team stars to leave Old Trafford this summer on a £15 million contract as Erik ten Hag trimmed his squad.
The Malmö-born rising star is mature beyond his years and has had to make tough choices even when he first started in football. At the age of 14 he chose to join the red half of Manchester from the blue side and just a few months ago he decided he didn’t want to play a supporting role anymore.
‘It wasn’t easy leaving United because I was there for nine years, from youth academy to the first team. But at the end of the day I have to think about myself and would I want to stay another year if I want to get on and off the bench or be a starter on a team that is on the rise, getting better and getting better ‘ he told Mail Sport exclusively. .
Anthony Elanga joined Nottingham Forest from Man United this summer for £15 million
Elanga rose through the ranks of United’s academy and was eventually given first-team opportunities
Elanga scored his first goal for Nottingham Forest in their win over Chelsea at the start of the season
‘For me the option for Forest is perfect. It was difficult to leave United and they are perhaps the biggest club in the world, but I have to think about what I want and how I see myself growing and getting better every day in the coming years. The perfect decision.’
He has already made his mark.
‘It was great (scoring first goal against Chelsea). “Being able to get the win there, Forest haven’t won there for 29 years, which is a long time, and to get the winner there and my first goal for the club, you couldn’t have written it better,” he added . .
Elanga played just five games in the Premier League last season, but United’s recent winger crisis could have been the opportunity he was waiting for.
But the 21-year-old hasn’t looked back and wondered what could have happened.
‘When I make a decision, I stick to it. “I have never regretted that decision for a moment,” he said.
“My senior time at United was short, two years of valuable learning, ups and downs and I bring that experience with me here.
“I’ve learned a lot from them and take that experience from what they’ve done on and off the field and try to bring that here and apply it to my game.
Elanga (left) played with Cristiano Ronaldo during the superstar’s second spell at United
Sweden international Elanga has no regrets about leaving United for Nottingham Forest
‘I learned from perhaps the best player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo, I learned from Bruno Fernandes, Raphael Varane, Casemiro, I can go through the whole team because they are all world class players, not just what they do on the pitch . but also off the field with their discipline and the way they look after themselves.’
The Swede still maintains strong personal relationships with his ex-United teammates and chose close friend Marcus Rashford as the best player he has ever played with, before naming his former club’s player to watch.
“I have to say Marcus Rashford is the best I’ve played with. He has everything: pace, skill, shot, finishing, the way he played last season was great. Off the field he is top, he helped me a lot to get through it.
‘Kobbie Mainoo (is the next big star from the academy). He is one of my closest guys who I still speak to at United and I believe he is next, his talent is unreal.
‘He has everything and I hope United can look after him very well and allow him to flourish. He is a top player.
‘When I played with him in the academy I always thought he had the same qualities as Paul Pogba. They are not the same players, but the way he moves and they can both do everything: defensively, offensively, he has a mix of everything and is very good on and off the ball.”
Elanga was fortunate enough to play with Ibrahimovic in Sweden after they first met during the retired striker’s short spell at United.
‘It was very good to work with him, I had the chance to see and speak to him when I was at United at a young age and when I met him in Sweden the first thing I said was: ‘Do you recognize me? still from the canteen? Elanga recalled.
The 21-year-old called his goal against Chelsea the best goal of his career so far
Elanga named Casemiro (left) as one of the players he learned from while playing for United
Elanga spoke exclusively to Mail Sport’s Ryan Walker at Forest’s training ground
The winger also plays for Sweden and revealed his first interaction with Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Elanga named Man United youngster Kobbie Mainoo as the club’s next big rising star
“He said ‘yeah, I remember that’ when I told him he played with my dad (Joseph). He was sweet and looked after me very well, gave me good advice and he is someone that all Swedish players look up to.’
Elanga appears to have soaked up the exposure to star-studded talent and developed a drive to reach the top of the game.
It is now up to him to make it a success.
Elanga spoke to Mail Sport before Sweden’s Euro 2024 qualifier with Belgium was abandoned after two Swedish supporters were shot dead in a suspected terrorist attack in Brussels.