Newcastle confirm departures of Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh to Nottingham Forest and Brighton as they sell pair for combined £68million in desperate eleventh-hour deals to avoid PSR points deduction

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Newcastle have sold midfielder Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest, while Yankuba Minteh has signed for Brighton.

Anderson has signed for Forest in a deal worth around £35million and goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos has headed in the opposite direction.

Winger Minteh has left Newcastle for Brighton in a deal worth around £33million. 

Minteh, 19, scored ten goals in 27 league games while on loan at Feyenoord last season. He has signed a four year deal with Brighton.

Vlachodimos will provide competition for Newcastle goalkeepers Nick Pope and Martin Dubravka.

Elliot Anderson has signed for Nottingham Forest from Newcastle for around £35million

Newcastle have signed goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos from Forest as part of the deal

Yankuba Minteh has left Newcastle to sign for Brighton in a deal worth around £33million

Technical director David Weir told Brighton's official website: 'Yankuba is a young talent that has attracted a lot of interest, so we're delighted to welcome him to the club.

'He is an exciting attacking player with incredible speed. He had a very impressive campaign with Feyenoord, gaining experience in both the Champions League and Europa League.

'Now we will give him the time and support he needs to ensure that he settles in.' 

As reported by Newcastle's official website, after completing his move to the club, Vlachodimos said: 'I am very happy to be joining Newcastle United. It's an honour for me to be part of this huge club, with excellent players and a great coach. I can't wait to get started!' 

St James' Park figures have been battling to avoid a Premier League points deduction for failing to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules and they needed to offload before Sunday night's accounting period deadline. 

It is understood that, had the North East club failed to bring in the required revenue before the cut-off, they were looking at a points deduction of 10 points. 

Vlachodimos joined from Benfica last summer and made seven appearances for Forest last season.

The 30-year-old played junior football for Germany up to Under-21 level but plays international football for Greece, winning 42 caps.

Forest also confirmed the signing of Anderson, with Chief Football Officer Ross Wilson saying: 'We are all delighted to welcome Elliot to Nottingham Forest and pleased that he has chosen to continue to develop his talent with us in the Premier League.

Newcastle have allayed fears they would have to sell Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak

'We are sure he will thrive in a Forest shirt, as other players in his age profile have done.

'As soon as the opportunity arose for him to potentially join, it was something we were all excited to make happen.'

Fears Newcastle would have to reluctantly sell Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon were effectively allayed with the departures of Minteh and Anderson. 

As first reported by Mail Sport, Anderson was discussed in negotiations with Forest and Minteh was also offered to the club before Brighton emerged as frontrunners.

Newcastle held talks with Liverpool over a shock deal for Gordon while Chelsea enquired about Isak, both exclusively revealed by Mail Sport.

The club's hierarchy and boss Eddie Howe did not want to lose either player but there was an acceptance that they needed to trade to avoid a points deduction.

A breach of PSR restrictions would likely have seen them docked 10 points. 

Both forwards now appear set to remain at Newcastle, however, with Minteh and Anderson leaving for substantial figures and a combined total of almost £70m.

Anderson has made 55 appearances for Newcastle since making his debut in 2021.

He played 26 times last season and started in 10 of those matches but was ruled out for a lengthy period between October and March due to a back injury.