Arsenal have expressed an interest in Anthony Gordon but the winger is set to stay at Newcastle beyond Friday’s deadline, with preliminary talks over a new contract having opened.
We understand Gunners sporting director Edu is a big admirer of the 23-year-old, who features on a list of players identified as future targets, and they could make an approach next summer.
Gordon is happy at Newcastle, loves working with Eddie Howe and he and his young family are settled in the North-East. Discussions over an improved contract as reward for last season’s brilliant form have now started.
However, there is no denying that the club’s talks with Liverpool at the end of June had an unsettling impact, as the Magpies battled to avoid a breach of PSR rules and considered selling Gordon to his boyhood club. The Reds refused to meet Newcastle’s demands but their interest remains.
Sporting director Paul Mitchell has since arrived at St James’ Park and he was determined not to lose Gordon this window, as was Howe. It means the England star is set to remain on Tyneside for this season at least.
Arsenal have expressed an interest in signing Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon
Arsenal's sporting director Edu Gaspar (right) is a big fan of the Magpies star
Gordon, who has also been linked with Liverpool, is set to sign a new Newcastle contract
BOBBY SALE NO DAZZLER FOR TOON
Newcastle did NOT have a sell-on clause in the £10million deal that took Bobby Clark from Liverpool to RB Salzburg - and they are not owed anything should Ivan Toney move this summer.
Clark, 19, left Newcastle in 2021 having progressed through the academy of his boyhood club. Liverpool paid £1.5m for the midfielder and he went on to make his senior debut the following year. He made 14 appearances before following former Reds assistant Pep Lijnders to Salzburg this month.
However, we understand there was not a clause that would have seen Newcastle take a percentage of the fee.
That is also the case with Toney, who left Tyneside for Peterborough in 2018 for around £650,000. The striker then moved to Brentford and there has been some suggestion that Newcastle retained an agreement with Peterborough to receive a percentage of future sales.
But should Toney move in the coming days - Brentford want £50m for the England man - the Magpies will not be due a cut.
Newcastle did not have a sell-on clause to benefit from Bobby Clark's (left) £10m switch from Liverpool to RB Salzburg
MITCHELL AND HOWE TAKE FLIGHT…
Paul Mitchell’s relationship with Eddie Howe is still in its infancy, but the sporting director is working closely with the head coach’s nephew, Andy, the club’s assistant head of first-team recruitment.
The pair were at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light on Saturday for a secret scouting trip to check on Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford.
Newcastle would still like to do a deal for the 21-year-old, most likely a loan with an obligation to buy. But it would need one of Odysseas Vlachodimos or Martin Dubravka to leave the club.
Greek keeper Vlachodimos was only signed as part of the deal that saw Nottingham Forest agree to pay £35m for Elliot Anderson in June, easing Newcastle’s PSR worries. Anderlecht are interested but sources in Belgium say his wages are too high to cover, as it stands. There is hope he will leave the club before Friday’s deadline, allowing movement on Trafford
Mitchell and Andy Howe then sat together on a flight to Southampton on Sunday morning, later taking in Newcastle’s 1-1 draw at Bournemouth.
Paul Mithchell's (right) relationship with Eddie Howe (left) is still in its infancy at Newcastle
TONALI STAYS!
Sandro Tonali will not have to make any more trips to Italy as part of his sanction for illegal gambling.
Eddie Howe was asked earlier this week about the 16 community initiatives that the midfielder had to attend in his home country, and the head coach said he was confident they would not interfere with matches.
However, we understand Tonali has already completed the programme and is free to concentrate on rebuilding his Newcastle career.
You can read the inside story of his 10-month ban by clicking here, including stories of Tonali carving pumpkins and playing Monopoly.
Sandro Tonali won't have to make any more trips to Italy as part of his sanction for gambling
CARDS MARK-ED…
Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey advised Newcastle to appeal Fabian Schar’s red card last week, only for the three-match ban to stand.
Halsey spoke to some inside the club and his opinion was that Schar’s ‘headbutt’ on Southampton’s Ben Brereton Diaz on the opening day of the season was not violent conduct. He thought the force did not meet the threshold to be classed as ‘violent’ and expected the ban to be reduced.
But the Premier League did not agree and Schar will now serve the final game of his suspension when Spurs come to Tyneside on Sunday.
Newcastle failed in their bid to appeal Fabian Schar's (left) red card against Fulham last week
NEW HOUSE FOR FRASER?
Ryan Fraser is still hopeful of securing a move away from Newcastle on Friday.
The winger spent last season on loan at Southampton and has no future on Tyneside. It was thought that a return to the South Coast would have happened already, but his Newcastle salary on a contract with 12 months to run remains a stumbling block.
We are told there remains a chance of him going out on Friday, however. Defender Harrison Ashby could also join QPR on loan.
Ryan Fraser is hopeful that he can secure a move away from Newcastle before the deadline
TOON TEASER
It’s Toon Teaser time. Last week’s puzzler was… can you name the NINE players to have played for Newcastle and Bournemouth (in any division) since the Premier League began in 1992-93.
Answers: Leon Best, Sylvain Distin, Matt Ritchie, Christian Atsu, Callum Wilson, Dan Gosling, Ryan Fraser, Freddie Woodman, Lloyd Kelly.
This week’s teaser (on a similar theme) is name the NINETEEN players to have appeared for Newcastle and Tottenham since the Premier League began in 1992/93…
This one is brilliant, and should keep you occupied in the pub over the next 24 hours…
Just to note, the answers will be revealed on Friday in our new NUFC-dedicated WhatsApp channel. It’s free and is available HERE.