Anthony Elanga has revealed that he spoke to his Sweden teammate Alexander Isak regarding the possibility of joining Newcastle over the summer.

Elanga, who now plays for Nottingham Forest, was heavily linked with a move to the north east as the summer transfer window neared its conclusion.

At the time, talkSPORT reported that the proposed deal could have seen Elliot Anderson head in the opposite direction, with both clubs attempting to navigate the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.

Elanga has now acknowledged that he was aware of those reports, though his focus remained elsewhere.

“I’ve heard the same things as you,” he told fotbollskanalen while on international duty.

“There will always be rumours in football, but I have a contract with Nottingham and we had a match the day before, so I couldn’t concentrate much on it [the rumours].”

When asked whether the reports were more than mere speculation, he responded: “I have no idea, I saw the same as you.”

Elanga was then questioned about his conversations with Isak and disclosed: “Isak did speak to me about it. But I told him the same thing I’m telling you.

“We have a good relationship and great chemistry when we play together. But I have a contract with Nottingham.”

Reiterating his commitment to Forest, Elanga gave a similar response when asked about his future.

“I’m focused on Nottingham and hope to have a good season, then we’ll see what happens,” he added.

“The environment at Nottingham is great. It’s clear to see that Newcastle’s interest shows I’m playing good football when a big club is interested.

“But Nottingham is also a big club—they’ve won two European Cups, even though that was before I was born. But I’m happy at Nottingham and I have a contract here.”

Elanga joined Forest in the summer of 2023 for £15 million, departing from Manchester United, where he had made his professional debut after progressing through their academy.

The 22-year-old impressed during his first season at the City Ground, contributing five goals and nine assists, making him their third most productive player, as he helped the team avoid relegation.