The final countdown has officially begun at Benton. As Newcastle United prepare for their final Premier League fixture of the season against Fulham at Craven Cottage, the club is simultaneously bracing for the emotional departure of one of its biggest superstars.
According to an explosive update from The Chronicle’s Chief Newcastle United Writer Lee Ryder, England international forward Anthony Gordon is currently navigating what is “highly likely” to be his final week as a Newcastle player.
The 25-year-old Scouser is on the absolute verge of completing a landscape-shifting summer transfer to German Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. The European heavyweight had previously hit a massive £75 million valuation wall in negotiations, but behind-the-scenes progress suggests a definitive agreement is imminent.
The Bizarre Month on the Bench
What makes Gordon’s impending Tyneside exit so peculiar is his sudden, puzzling exile from Eddie Howe’s matchday starting lineups. The winger-turned-striker has not touched the pitch for a single second of competitive action in over a month.
Gordon initially picked up a troublesome hip injury during Newcastle’s 2-1 defeat away to Crystal Palace, forcing him to sit out subsequent matches against AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal. However, since returning to full fitness, he has spent Newcastle’s recent mini-unbeaten run against Brighton, Nottingham Forest, and West Ham completely stranded on the bench as an unused substitute.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America just 22 days away, concerns are growing that England manager Thomas Tuchel will be receiving a player who is a long way from peak match fitness. Despite the noise, Eddie Howe was quick to defend the forward’s professional integrity when pressed by reporters:
”It is a difficult one to know what is going to happen,” Howe admitted regarding the Bayern Munich transfer links. “But at the moment, that is the team I am picking; it is no reflection on Anthony’s attitude. He has been first class.”
A Stellar Campaign to Bow Out On
If this is indeed the curtain call for Gordon at St. James’ Park, he leaves behind an incredibly impressive individual legacy from the 2025/26 campaign.
Forced to adapt to an auxiliary center-forward role due to recurring injuries to Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson, Gordon spearheaded the Magpies’ frontline on 16 separate occasions, ruthlessly slotting home nine goals from that position. Overall, he has racked up a magnificent 17 goals in all competitions this year. He enters the final weekend of the season as Newcastle’s presumptive top scorer, with only a late, miraculous goal surge from Harvey Barnes standing in his way.
William Osula and the Future Blueprint
Gordon’s impending departure explains why Howe has actively used the final month of the Premier League season to hand significant development minutes to Denmark Under-21 star William Osula.
The lightning-quick 22-year-old striker has grabbed his opportunity with both hands, showing immense physicality, defensive work rate, and raw acceleration in transition during Gordon’s absence.
”He has done really well, his goal return has been excellent,” Howe raved when discussing Osula’s sudden elevation. “We gave him an opportunity a few weeks ago to try to make a claim for that permanent position and he has certainly done himself no harm. He’s lightning quick as you can see, he’s strong, and I think he has his best years ahead of him.”
While losing a 17-goal talisman like Anthony Gordon to a European superpower like Bayern Munich is a bitter pill for the Toon Army to swallow, the massive financial injection will give Newcastle significant leverage to navigate strict PSR rules. With Lamine Camara already lined up in a €50 million midfield raid and Osula ready to inherit the frontline, the post-Gordon era on Tyneside is already taking shape.
The Transfer Verdict: Holding onto an unhappy player when Bayern Munich are throwing around premium European capital makes zero sense for Newcastle’s long-term sustainability. Gordon has been “first class” in training, but his mind is clearly already in Bavaria. Flipping him now allows Howe to fully unleash William Osula and aggressive reinvestment in the summer market.
