When Anthony Elanga revealed why he left Manchester United

Anthony Elanga initially joined United’s academy at the age of 12 and made his first-team debut at 19 in May 2021. 

Anthony Elanga once opened up about his departure from Manchester United, and on Tuesday night, he showed his former club exactly what they had lost. The 22-year-old winger scored a sensational early goal that secured Nottingham Forest’s 1-0 victory over United at the City Ground, further underlining his impressive form this season.

Elanga, who joined Forest for £15 million in the summer of 2023, has thrived since leaving Old Trafford, registering seven goals and eight assists in the Premier League this season. His goal against United came from a blistering counter-attack, where he sprinted 85 meters in just nine seconds before finishing past Andre Onana. The Swede refused to celebrate, but fans took to social media to question United’s decision to sell him.

'I wanted to play'

Reflecting on his exit in a February 2024 interview with The Times, Elanga admitted that leaving United was difficult but necessary.

"It was difficult [to leave] but it was needed because I wanted to play and I didn’t want to spend another season just playing ten minutes or not playing for ten games," he explained.

"I wanted a fresh start but I knew it wouldn’t be easy leaving a club that I had been at for nine years. Sometimes football is like that, it might not always work somewhere. I had seen what he (Erik ten Hag) did at Ajax (with young players) so I was looking forward to it but I just didn’t get the opportunities."

Elanga initially joined United’s academy at the age of 12 and made his first-team debut at 19 in May 2021. However, he struggled for consistent game time under Erik ten Hag, scoring just four goals in 55 appearances before deciding to move on.

Elanga’s strike against United marked his 28th goal contribution since moving to Forest—a tally no United winger has matched in the same period. His winner proved decisive, as Nottingham Forest held on for a crucial 1-0 victory, boosting their push for Champions League football while leaving Manchester United to reflect on what could have been.