It’s been an enjoyable Champions League adventure for Newcastle United fans this season, earnt thanks to our fifth-place finish in the 2024/25 Premier League campaign. However, there is no denying that it has turned into a hugely frustrating season for everybody, including manager Eddie Howe – and growing rumours surrounding the future of talent Anthony Gordon are not helping matters.
As we head towards May, we continue to occupy 14th place in the top flight table, but with four defeats from the last six games, tensions within the newcastle match tickets fanbase are growing – but they will continue to loyally turn up. We have not kicked on how we hoped we would and individual fans will naturally blame different things for that. Plenty is up for discussion at the moment, whether that be direct blame on the gaffer and his tactics, selections and style of play or a closer look at the finances and the subsequent business that we have done in the recent transfer windows.
There will be others who take a simpler approach and feel that, with a slight overachievement last term, given the size of our squad, there is an element of ‘second season’ coming into play, along with the European burnout that 90% of sides encounter.
Whichever way you go, the year has not been good enough and currently being just eleven points from the drop zone is way too close to just ignore as ‘one of those things’. There will be those looking at our spending since the takeover, matching that with the speculation surrounding LIV Golf and putting two and two together on what kind of summer we may have, irrespective of the Champions League money that is now in our pocket.
With growing rumour mill speculation that the 25 year old, 17 capped, England international attacker is a target for German Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, fans are understandably concerned given Gordon is said to be keen for a departure. The player has had issues with Howe previously, and we are only just on the back of a spat with Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney – the timing could not be worse, as he missed the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth this weekend with an injury.
Although the speculation is getting a new lease of life following the defeat, Sky Sports have reported that there is, in fact, a meeting set between the two parties in order to see if a deal can be done. Further claims suggest Gordon has already told those close to him that Bayern would be his preferred destination, particularly after yet another title success for the side, he has been paying attention to how Michael Olise and Harry Kane have settled in with them.
Worryingly, they also suggest that Newcastle are open to a sale and maximising his value and are already drawing up potential replacements for next season, with some already (apparently) being contacted to sound them out.
Whatever the truth may be here, the specifics surrounding a potential deal being viable are slowly beginning to grow, and that is concerning. It would not be the end of the season that anyone wanted, even if our form now dramatically improves, which everyone hopes.
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