Newcastle United winger delays return to club – and Eddie Howe will be delighted

Eddie Howe will have a new Newcastle United striker next season – Anthony Gordon.

Gordon scored the only goal of the game as England beat Portugal in Kutaisi, Georgia, last night to qualify for the semi-finals of the European Under-21 Championship.

The £45million winger – who also scored in Newcastle's season-ending 1-1 draw against Chelsea in late May after being fielded in midfield – netted a first-half goal from 10 yards after being set up by Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White.

“You’re going to get chances and it’s up to me to finish them,” said Gordon, named man of the match. "You're going to get chances, and it's up to me to finish them

“I probably should have had one or two more, which I’m a bit gutted about.

“I’m extremely tired but happy for the win, happy for the character we showed as a team, the way we dug in."

England will face Israel, beaten 2-0 by the Young Lions last week, in their semi-final on Wednesday night. The final of the competition is on Saturday in Batumi, Georgia.

Eddie Howe's players, meanwhile, are due to start arriving back on Tyneside this week for the start of pre-season training.

Gordon will take a short break after the tournament before linking up with his club-mates ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

New role

Versatile Gordon – who also scored in England's Group C win over Israel – has been used through the middle by Under-21 coach Lee Carsley.

And the 22-year-old, signed from Everton in January in a £45million deal, believes No.9 could, in future, be his best position.

“It’s very different," Gordon told The Sun. "Obviously, I haven’t played there many times, so it doesn’t come naturally.

“I’m seeing a lot of the game in front of me, which is helping me a bit. I’m playing off Morgs (Gibbs-White), which is quite easy, because he moves a lot.

“I’m getting a better understanding of football playing in different positions – a No.8, and on the wings, for Newcastle, and now as a No.9. To be honest, I feel like it may be my best position, because I think I’m better running off people.

"You can see when Morgs gets the ball, and I’m spinning. I can use my pace a bit more. You can get a bit isolated on the wing, drifting in and out of games."