This summer looks like being an important one for Anthony Gordon as he decides on his next move. The Newcastle United winger’s future could well lie away from St James’ Park, but what comes next is far from certain.
Gordon was an unused sub for the last two games, in what might be seen as a sign of Eddie Howe preparing for a future without him. The former Everton star is Newcastle’s top scorer across all competitions this term with 17 goals and has a total of 39 for the club in 152 appearances.
It isn’t the first time interest in the 25-year-old has threatened to dominate the summer. Gordon signed new terms after a move to Liverpool failed to materialise, but there is now interest from a number of teams.
A strong showing at the World Cup could further increase the England international’s desirability but he ought to have options regardless. Here, we’ve taken a look at what could lie ahead.
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Leandro Trossard might have scored Arsenal’s crucial winner at West Ham on Sunday but there’s still an argument that Gordon would be an upgrade on the Belgian. Similarly, Gabriel Martinelli has been far from his best this season and is reported to be among the players the London club are considering moving on.
The argument for Arsenal signing the Newcastle man is a fairly obvious one. He would be a plug-and-play option with plenty of Premier League experience, as well as chemistry playing with the Gunners’ England contingent.
Persistent injuries have often left Mikel Arteta light up front too, and Gordon’s versatility having played in a false nine role plenty of times for Howe offers another dimension.
View 3 ImagesAn Arsenal move for Gordon could spell bad news for Leandro Trossard(Image: MI News/NurPhoto/Shutterstock)
It is also easy to foresee a situation where he will see a much clearer path to becoming a first-team regular at Arsenal than at certain other clubs.
Recent photos shared by Sport showed Barcelona’s sporting director meeting with Gordon’s representatives. The Chronicle shared insight from Spain suggesting Barca manager Hansi Flick admires the Newcastle man, but things might not be as straightforward as they seem.
There have been suggestions the meeting should be viewed in the context of the Catalan club aiming to drive down Manchester United’s asking price for Marcus Rashford. There is an agreement in Barca’s loan move for Rashford that they can sign him permanently for around £26million, but more recently there have been suggestions they would prefer a second year on loan for the 28-year-old.
View 3 ImagesMarcus Rashford remains hopeful of an extended stay at Barcelona(Image: Jose Breton/NurPhoto/Shutterstock)
Rashford scored his 14th goal of the season in Sunday’s Clasico victory over Real Madrid as Flick’s team sealed the title and has averaged a goal or assist every 87 minutes this term. If this wasn’t enough to suggest he might be a more likely option than Gordon, Barcelona’s apparent hesitance over a £26m fee mean they could well find themselves unable to pay Newcastle’s asking price for their alternative, which is believed to be in the region of £75m.
Barcelona aren’t the only European giants to be linked with a swoop. Bayern Munich have also been linked, with talks recently opened, and a move to Bavaria would hand Gordon a potential opportunity to link up with England colleague Harry Kane.
There’s little doubt that the Newcastle star would have what it takes to deliver for such a club. A return of 10 goals in 771 Champions League minutes is evidence enough of that, even if not all of those were against elite opposition.
The bigger question is whether the relative lack of minutes would suit him. It’s hard to imagine Luis Diaz making it easy for any team-mate to take his spot on the left without a fight, while Serge Gnabry will remain an option after recently signing a new contract.
There is one final option we haven’t discussed in detail. It may well be the case that, by the time the first match of the 2026/27 season rolls around, Gordon is still a Newcastle player.
Nottingham Forest’s late equaliser on Sunday ended the Magpies’ faint hopes of European qualification and a reset feels necessary. There will be no change in the dugout, though, with the owners putting their faith in Howe.
Gordon’s contract runs until 2030 and Newcastle are unlikely to let him leave on the cheap. Bearing that in mind, might he spend one more season with a manager he knows well, while benefiting from a quieter schedule to help deliver a year to remember?
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