Newcastle United have confirmed on their official website that Elliot Anderson has penned a new long-term contract to extend his stay at St. James’ Park. The Scottish midfielder has been impressive in training with Steve Bruce’s first-team over the past few weeks and has signed a fresh deal by committing his future to the Tyneside club on his 18th birthday (via nufc.co.uk).
Anderson’s Rapid Rise At Tyneside In Recent Years
The North Shields-born talent has come through the youth ranks of the Magpies but is yet to make his first senior appearance under the watchful eyes of Bruce. Anderson has represented Newcastle at various youth levels and was also named on the bench in September’s EFL Cup tie away at Newport County.
The 18-year-old has caught the eye with his performances for the Tyneside outfit’s U-23 team after he scored eight goals and provided three assists for them in various competitions. He has proven his worth as a goal-scoring midfielder, but it remains to be seen whether he has got what it takes to succeed in senior football.
Now that Anderson has sorted out his long-term future, he can focus solely on getting better on the field and staking a claim for a first-team place in Bruce’s starting XI in the years to come.
What Are The Scottish Midfielder’s Best Attributes?
Anderson is a moderately paced midfielder who has shown outstanding balance when travelling with the ball in the opposition half. He has got a great knack for scoring goals and can even create some decent chances for his teammates to find the back of the net in the offensive end of the field.
However, the Scottish starlet still has a lot to learn before he is ready to test himself at the highest level of English football. At 18, he has got plenty of time to develop himself into a top midfielder in the coming seasons.
Anderson Penning A New Long-Term Contract: Good Move For Both Parties?
At the moment, Steve Bruce has got Miguel Almiron, Allan Saint-Maximin, Ryan Fraser and Jeff Hendrick fighting for a first-team place in his attacking midfield department. Hence, Anderson needs to be patient if he wants to be a future starter at St. James’ Park as he is currently not good enough to play for Bruce’s senior team in the Premier League every week.
Either way, there is no denying that Newcastle tying Anderson down to a new deal will be a good move for both the player and the club. The Scottish midfield ace should be boosted by the fact that the Magpies want to retain him for the long-run while Bruce could be the ideal man to oversee his development and get the best out of him over the next few years.
