Amid swirling speculation about his future, Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has expressed unequivocal confidence in Anthony Gordon’s commitment to the club. This comes as discussions regarding a potential transfer to Bayern Munich intensify.
Newcastle’s performance has come under scrutiny, with the team currently languishing in 13th place in the Premier League and struggling to secure European qualification with just three matches remaining. Gordon’s recent absence from the team due to a hip injury has further fueled rumors about his future.
Since suffering the injury during a 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace last month, Gordon has not featured in any matches, although he was named as an unused substitute in last week’s victory over Brighton. Speculation has emerged that Bayern Munich, the reigning Bundesliga champions, are interested in securing the winger, who joined Newcastle from Everton in a £45 million deal last year.
In a press conference ahead of the upcoming fixture against Nottingham Forest, Howe was quizzed about the rumors surrounding Gordon. He stated, “No, none. That’s not something I’m involved in,” clarifying that there had been no discussions about a potential transfer.
When pressed on whether he believed Gordon remained steadfast in his commitment to Newcastle, Howe confidently affirmed, “Yeah. He wouldn’t be in the squad if that was not the case.” He added, “As I’ve said many times, I don’t judge that on communications elsewhere. I do that through my relationship with the player and how I see them train.”
Howe previously indicated he would not play any athlete who lacked total dedication; however, he clarified that those remarks were general in nature and not specifically directed at Gordon. “I always do what’s right for the team and best for the football club,” he explained. “Those comments weren’t related to Anthony Gordon, they were general, and I like to think I’ve been consistent with that in my time here. That’s not going to change now.”
This season, Gordon has found the net six times and provided two assists in 26 Premier League appearances, marking a dip in his performance, as he appears set for his lowest statistical output since joining Newcastle. Last season, he contributed with 11 goals and 10 assists, but his chance creation has also seen a decline this year, averaging just 1.29 chances per 90 minutes, in contrast to 1.77 and 1.88 in his previous two full seasons.
However, Gordon has made a significant impact in the Champions League, scoring 10 goals in 12 matches, a tally surpassed only by Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane in the current season’s competition.
