Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said seeing Elliot Anderson scoring the equaliser against them in their 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest “really hurt” and reiterated that his sale to Forest was “the most reluctant transfer I’ll ever do”.

Anderson’s move to the City Ground from the Magpies in 2024 was essentially a £35m transfer to satisfy his boyhood club’s PSR demands.

“It was something we regretted when we were doing it,” he said. “We knew that would be a very, very painful transfer, one that we had to do.

“We had no choice, but it was probably the most reluctant transfer I’ll ever do, because we knew the quality of the player.

“We’d seen him close up for a number of years training with us. He was beginning to break into the team and he was being for me, the back end of that season, really effective in a number of different positions.

“It really hurts to see him do that against us today, he’s going to go and have a fantastic career, wherever he goes, wherever his career takes him.

“He’s a great lad as well, so it’s painful for us to take but he’s an outstanding player.”

Meanwhile, Forest boss Vitor Pereira said he “cannot say” whether Anderson would stay at the City Ground this summer.

Manchester City are in pole position to sign the 23-year-old this summer.

The Portuguese said: “I cannot say (whether he will stay), I don’t have the answer. I know he deserves the top of the world.

“I know that he’s our player, and we need to enjoy him because I have worked with the top talent players, but to find a top player with this character is not easy.

“I’m not thinking about the next season. I’m thinking about finishing this season in the best position that we can.