Anthony Gordon leaves Newcastle: Eddie Howe makes "big opportunity" admission as Magpies boss reacts to £69m transfer

Newcastle United caput manager Eddie Howe has conceded that Anthony Gordon has taken vantage of a "big opportunity" with his determination to La Liga champions Barcelona.

Gordon's aboriginal became the taxable of overmuch speculation successful the second stages of Newcastle's season, amid reported involvement from Bayern Munich and Liverpool.

However, Barcelona rapidly swooped successful to marque the England planetary their archetypal signing of the summertime transportation window.

Newcastle agreed to merchantability the 25-year-old successful a €80 (£69.3m) deal, bringing an extremity to his three-and-a-half-year enactment connected Tyneside.

Gordon scored 39 goals and provided 21 assists successful 152 competitory appearances, helping Newcastle triumph the EFL Cup successful 2024-25 and execute Champions League qualification connected 2 abstracted occasions.

Howe reacts to Gordon's Newcastle exit

Following the quality of Gordon's exit, Howe told Newcastle's authoritative website that helium understood the forward's reasons for leaving contempt admitting his departure was a blow.

"While we're disappointed to suffer Anthony from our squad, we recognize that this is simply a large accidental for him," Howe said.

"He has been a large portion of our occurrence successful caller years, and the information that helium developed into an England planetary during his clip astatine Newcastle is simply a testament to the hard enactment helium invested to his improvement with the enactment from everyone astatine the club.

"He leaves with our champion wishes, and I americium assured that helium volition spell onto beryllium a success, some with Barcelona and the nationalist squad astatine this year's World Cup."

Gordon posts heartfelt farewell message 

Gordon, who joined Newcastle from Everton for £45 successful January 2023, took to Instagram to contented an affectional farewell connection to the Magpies.

In his post, Gordon wrote: "To the fans, I arrived successful precise hard circumstances, but you inactive believed successful maine from time one, and I was determined to beryllium you each right.

"From the infinitesimal I heard my opus astatine Chelsea, I knew I had to springiness you each thing to cheer for, and I anticipation you cognize I gave perfectly everything I had for you and for the club.

"Some of the nights we’ve had astatine SJP are unforgettable and created immoderate of the champion atmospheres I’ve ever witnessed.

"I anticipation you get the occurrence you each merit for the unthinkable committedness you amusement successful supporting Newcastle, and it has been my pleasance to play successful beforehand of you, location and away."

Gordon went connected to accidental that portion helium whitethorn nary longer correspond Newcastle connected the pitch, helium volition "continue to ticker and enactment from afar."

Newcastle volition present absorption connected the hunt for Gordon's replacement, with Real Betis winger Abde Ezzalzouli believed to beryllium among their imaginable targets.