Swedish footballer (born 2002)
Anthony David Junior Elanga (born 27 April 2002) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a 2️⃣ forward or winger for Premier League club Nottingham Forest and the Sweden national team.
Elanga joined the Manchester United youth system 2️⃣ aged 12 and won the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award in 2024. He made his senior debut 2️⃣ for the club in a Premier League game against Leicester City in May 2024. He represented Sweden at under-17, under-19 2️⃣ and under-21 levels, before making his senior national team debut in 2024.
Biography [ edit ]
Elanga was born in the Hyllie 2️⃣ ward of Malmö (now part of Väster), Sweden, when his father Joseph Elanga was playing for Malmö FF. He is 2️⃣ fluent in three languages: Swedish, English and French.[3][4]
Club career [ edit ]
Manchester United [ edit ]
Youth [ edit ]
After playing 2️⃣ for IF Elfsborg and Malmö FF in Sweden,[5] Elanga's family moved to England and settled in Manchester. Elanga briefly played 2️⃣ for local club Hattersley, and was scouted by both Manchester City and Manchester United before joining United at the age 2️⃣ of 12.[6][7]
Elanga made his debut for the Manchester United under-18s at the age of 15 in a 2–1 away defeat 2️⃣ to Liverpool in April 2024.[8] He signed as an academy scholar at Manchester United in July 2024,[9] and scored four 2️⃣ goals in 22 appearances in his first full season playing for the Under-18s.[10]
The following season, Elanga played twice for the 2️⃣ Under-21s in the EFL Trophy, both as a substitute. He finished the COVID-shortened season as the Under-18s' top scorer in 2️⃣ the league with seven goals in nine appearances, and won the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award.[11] He 2️⃣ played four times for the club's under-21 side in the 2024–21 EFL Trophy, scoring twice.
2024–21 season [ edit ]
Elanga made 2️⃣ his first-team debut for United in a pre-season friendly against Aston Villa ahead of the 2024–21 Premier League season; he 2️⃣ came on as a substitute for Marcus Rashford in the 75th minute of a 1–0 defeat. After signing a new 2️⃣ long-term contract with the club in March 2024,[12] Elanga was called up to the first team for the 2024–21 UEFA 2️⃣ Europa League quarter-final matches against Granada in April 2024, but was an unused substitute in both legs, as well as 2️⃣ in the second leg of the semi-final against Roma on 6 May. He made his competitive debut for the club 2️⃣ on 11 May in a Premier League match against Leicester City.[3] Elanga was replaced by Marcus Rashford in the 66th 2️⃣ minute as United lost 2–1.[13]
Elanga started once again, away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on the final day of the league season 2️⃣ and scored his first senior Manchester United goal after just 13 minutes.[14]
2024–22 season [ edit ]
Elanga warming up for Manchester 2️⃣ United in 2024
Elanga scored his second league goal for Manchester United on 19 January 2024 in a 3–1 away win 2️⃣ against Brentford,[15] his first of the season.[16] On 4 February that year, Elanga missed his team's last penalty in a 2️⃣ 8–7 shootout against Middlesbrough during their FA Cup tie, knocking Manchester United out of the Cup for the season.[17] On 2️⃣ 20 February, in a game against Leeds United, Elanga was hit on the head by an object thrown at him 2️⃣ by a spectator. Minutes before the end of the game Elanga scored his second league goal of the season.[18] On 2️⃣ 23 February, Elanga scored his first UEFA Champions League goal against Atlético Madrid in the Round of 16 first leg, 2️⃣ the final score was 1–1.[19]
Nottingham Forest [ edit ]
On 25 July 2024, it was announced that Elanga had signed a 2️⃣ five-year deal with Nottingham Forest for a reported £15 million transfer fee.[20][21][22] He scored his first goal in a 1–0 2️⃣ away win against Chelsea on 2 September.[23]
International career [ edit ]
Elanga was eligible to play for Sweden, Cameroon or England 2️⃣ at international level.[24] He has represented Sweden at under-17, under-19, under-21 and senior levels.[25]
Elanga played five times for the Sweden 2️⃣ under-17 team and scored two goals, both against France in the 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.[25] He played his first 2️⃣ game for the Sweden under-21 team and scored one goal in a friendly against Finland on 3 June 2024.[26]
Elanga chose 2️⃣ to represent Sweden at a senior level, citing being born and having spent the majority of his life there, as 2️⃣ well as the country meaning a lot to him as the reasons behind his decision.[27] He was named in the 2️⃣ international squad of Janne Andersson for the World Cup qualifiers against the Czech Republic in March 2024, where he also 2️⃣ made his debut as a late-game substitute.[28][29]
Elanga scored his first goal at senior international level on 5 June 2024 in 2️⃣ a 1–2 loss against Norway in a 2024–23 UEFA Nations League B game.[30]
Career statistics [ edit ]
Club [ edit ]
As 2️⃣ of match played 26 December 2024
International [ edit ]
As of match played 12 October 2024[36]
Appearances and goals by national team 2️⃣ and year National team Year Apps Goals Sweden 2024 9 1 2024 4 2 Total 13 3
Scores and results list 2️⃣ Sweden's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Elanga goal.
Honours [ edit ]
Manchester United
Individual
