Elanga opens MU's eyes

In the past, joining Manchester United was a major turning point in any player's career. However, now it seems that leaving Old Trafford offers many players the opportunity to develop and progress strongly.

Elanga's Turning Point

One of the clearest examples of this is Anthony Elanga, who scored against Manchester United in the match between Nottingham Forest and his former team in the 30th round of the Premier League in the early morning of April 2. This goal helped Forest win 1-0 and raised Elanga's name, causing people to question Manchester United's decision to sell him.

Elanga is not the only player to shine after leaving Manchester United in the 2024/25 season. Last weekend, Marcus Rashford scored twice to help Aston Villa beat Preston North End in the FA Cup quarter-finals. The England striker had previously left Old Trafford to join Villa on loan in the January 2025 transfer window.

Last year, Rashford won the FA Cup with Manchester United. This season, he could bag the title again. Like Rashford, Antony also received enthusiastic love from fans at Real Betis, so much so that they called for fundraising to buy him outright from the Spanish team. This shows how good the Brazilian star is. Antony's situation is similar to Rashford's, both had to pack up and leave the Manchester club.

However, Rashford and Antony’s impressive performances were unable to have the same impact on Manchester United as Elanga did in the latest game. The Swedish international’s fine strike at The City Ground not only secured victory for Forest, but also highlighted the progress of a player who had been sold for a modest fee. Now, on his current form, Elanga is likely to feature in the Champions League next season, a milestone in his career.

In the summer of 2023, Manchester United decided to sell Elanga to Nottingham Forest for £15 million, a fairly modest figure for a young player with potential for development. At that time, many MU fans did not care much about Elanga's departure. He was considered a fast player, but his finishing skills and composure in important situations were weaknesses.

Elanga scored in Forest's 1-0 win over MU in the early morning of April 2.

However, with Elanga only 21 when he left, the decision to sell him looks increasingly wrong when looking back at what he achieved at Forest. Since moving to his new club, Elanga has scored 11 goals and provided 17 assists in the Premier League.

Remarkably, no Manchester United player has managed as many in the same time period. Elanga is currently Forest’s all-time assist leader and has six Premier League goals to his name in 2024/25 – including a stunning strike in which he covered 85 metres in just nine seconds before curling a shot past United goalkeeper André Onana.

At Forest, Elanga has rediscovered the form and confidence he never had at Manchester United. This season, the Swedish international has become a key player in Nuno Espirito Santo's squad, helping Forest compete for a Champions League place. Elanga's goal against United confirmed that it may have been the pressure at Manchester United that hindered his development.

Question mark for MU

Elanga's success at Forest has also raised questions about the environment at Manchester United and the pressures players face. Ruben Amorim, Erik ten Hag's successor at United, has made a comment about why many players from United have been successful when they left.

Amorim believes that at Manchester United, players do not have enough time to develop and are faced with great pressure. This is not only shown by Elanga but also by many other cases, players never had enough opportunities to prove their ability at Old Trafford.

MU is hated by an old friend.

Elanga had a memorable first season at MU, especially in the match against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, where he scored the equalizer with a quick run. However, the departure of Ralf Rangnick, who had a big influence on Elanga, prevented him from finding consistent form. After that, Elanga became a "sale item" of MU in the summer of 2023, and eventually, Nottingham Forest quickly recruited him.

Former Forest manager Steve Cooper also played a key role in convincing Elanga to join the club. Cooper held several Zoom calls with Elanga from Forest’s training camp in Valencia, explaining the team’s tactics and style of play.

Everton were also interested in Elanga at the time, but the player expressed concerns about the Merseyside club's style of play, which ultimately helped Forest secure the Swedish international's signature.

After a challenging first season at Forest, where the team struggled in the relegation battle, Elanga has completely blossomed this season. He has become a key part of Forest’s counter-attacking style, with his pace, skill and skill. Forest are now fighting for a top-four place this season, while also reaching the FA Cup semi-finals.

Elanga’s success at Forest is a reminder of Manchester United’s transfer woes. Players like Elanga, McTominay and many others have shown that they can thrive and shine after leaving the club. This not only highlights the shortcomings of the Red Devils’ player development strategy but also raises questions about their ability to exploit and develop talent at the club.

While Manchester United struggle to rebuild their squad, Elanga seems to be another talent the club has missed. The youngster has found the right environment at Forest and is on his way to becoming a new star in English football. Players like Elanga show that sometimes, leaving Manchester United is the turning point that helps them find themselves and achieve great success.

Source: https://znews.vn/elanga-cho-mu-sang-mat-post1542725.html