England prepare to move for Elliot Anderson despite him featuring for Scotland Under-21s

England are preparing to make a move for Newcastle playmaker Elliot Anderson from under the nose of Scotland.

The 19-year-old has been involved with Scotland’s Under-21s this season having previously been capped at youth level, where he also appeared in a friendly for England Under-19s.

Anderson, who was born and raised in North Tyneside, is currently registered with the Scots and Three Lions chiefs have been relaxed about the situation given players are allowed one switch of allegiance.

They have noted the impression the attacking midfielder has made during his loan spell at Bristol Rovers and are considering when the time is right to offer a call-up to their Under-20 or Under-21 squads.

Anderson has won comparison to Diego Maradona by Rovers boss Joey Barton, whose side has risen from 13th to fourth in League Two since the loanee’s January arrival.

Former Newcastle super scout Graham Carr watched their 1-0 win at Northampton on Saturday and is convinced he has seen a player who should save the club’s Saudi owners tens of millions in transfer fees.

The 77-year-old felt so moved by what he saw at Sixfields that he has likened Anderson to Peter Beardsley, insisting he is the best talent to emerge from Newcastle’s academy in decades.

Carr, who unearthed the likes of Yohan Cabaye and Cheick Tiote for the Magpies, has told his old club not to waste their time with another loan move – because Anderson is good enough for the Premier League now.

‘They will spend millions on new players and a lot of academy lads will get lost in the system now – but not this boy,’ Carr told Sportsmail. ‘You can go out and sign as many young players as you want, you will be doing well to get any better than Elliot Anderson.

‘This loan move looks like it has done him the world of good. He could get Bristol promoted this year. But it’s a waste of time sending him out again. He will be bordering on the first-team next season, and he should definitely be part of the squad.

The 19-year-old has been involved with Scotland’s Under-21s this season

‘He is classy. He receives the ball like Peter Beardsley. He kills it and moves it all in one motion. That is a gift. He stood out like a sore thumb on Saturday, miles above anyone else. He looks out of place. I got in the car afterwards and started ringing people to talk about him.

‘He’s the best young player I have seen in a long time. Newcastle haven’t produced anyone like him, in terms of his technical gifts, probably all the way back to Gazza.

‘He plays with a swagger. Every time he got the ball you knew something was going to happen. He always wants to dribble and moves off quickly. He knows he’s good, but there’s no harm in that.’

Anderson is now the subject of much interest from Championship clubs having shone during what is his first loan move. Barton took the recommendation of former team-mates Steve Harper and Shola Ameobi – both on the staff at St James’ Park – and agreed to sign him on deadline day, but the Bristol boss knows he is set for greater things.

Barton said recently: ‘I’ve been listening to Bill Shankly tapes a lot. He talked a lot about a 19-year-old Diego Maradona and how he slows down in the penalty area, exactly like Elliot Anderson does. Such a talent.

‘Elliot has been brilliant for us from the first day we brought him in. I would have paid to watch him tonight – he was that good.’

Anderson is on the radar of a number of Championship clubs having impressed this term

Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe will take a closer look at Anderson during pre-season. He has only made two substitute appearances for the club but has long been recognised as a player of unique talents.

Howe said: ‘I’m so pleased for him. When we came in, we could see he’s a player of undoubted quality and I’d heard a lot of good things before working with him.

‘He has a great attitude and stayed behind every day to work on certain aspects of his games. He was aware he needed to go out and play. We wanted that for him and are delighted he’s doing so well.

‘It’s not a surprise for me, I think he can play a lot higher than League Two but he has taken his opportunity and we’ll have to review him like we will with every player in the summer.’