'Always' - Newcastle United official Anthony Gordon stance after five-year deal and agent transfer talks leak
Newcastle United transfers: Eddie Howe has responded to the speculation linking Anthony Gordon with Bayern Munich and Barcelona this week.
Eddie Howe insists Anthony Gordon is 100% committed to Newcastle United despite recent links that have surfaced in the media this week.
Gordon’s representatives were spotted meeting with Barcelona sporting director, Deco, earlier this week while reports from Sky Sport in Germany have claimed talks have progressed with Bayern Munich to the point where a potential five-year contract offer has been proposed.
The strong transfer links and visual evidence of Gordon’s agents meeting with other clubs raises questions over the player’s long-term commitment to Newcastle.
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Eddie Howe won’t play players who aren’t committed
It comes after Howe said just last month: “One thing I'm not going to do is play a player, any player, if I don't feel they're 100% committed to the club and to its future. Because that commitment, that resolve, what the player gives the team has to be total.”
Gordon hasn’t featured for Newcastle since Howe made those comments, though a recent hip injury gives some justification as to why.
Howe was then reminded of his previous comments about player commitment and whether the talks involving Gordon and other clubs would force him to stick to his word and not play the 25-year-old.
“I always do what's right for the team and best for the football club,” Howe told The Gazette. “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 as manager here, and that's not going to change now.”
Anthony Gordon is ‘100% committed’ to NUFC
When asked directly if he thinks Gordon is ‘100% committed’ to Newcastle and its future, Howe added: “Yeah, he wouldn't be in the squad if that wasn't the case. And I judge that, as I said many times, I don't judge that on communications elsewhere, I do that with my relationship with the player and how I see them train.”
Next up for Newcastle is a trip to Nottingham Forest on Sunday, where Gordon is expected to be named as part of the matchday squad.
The Magpies sit 13th in the Premier League table with three games left to play and realistically need to win in order to keep their slim chances of European football alive before the match against West Ham United at St James’ Park next Sunday.