While some quality players have arrived at Newcastle United since the takeover, it has been a constant theme over the past few seasons to see our star men linked with big-money moves away.
Reports suggesting Sandro Tonali will return to Italy have been rife ever since his arrival from AC Milan, we saw it last summer with Alexander Isak, a few years ago with Bruno Guimaraes and Man City, and once again this month as Anthony Gordon, Tino Livramento and Malick Thiaw are discussed in the media as options for many of our ‘big six’ rivals.
Speaking to the media this morning, Eddie Howe was asked about reports linking Gordon with a £75m move away this summer – Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal have all been linked once again this week – and the theme of Newcastle players being constantly tipped to depart.
His response was quite telling, putting it back on the media as to why they constantly write stories about potential exits, and discussing why Gordon, or any other Newcastle player for that matter, can’t afford to give it any thought.
“You tell me — it’s your industry that creates these stories. I’m slightly secluded from it because I don’t read it. Is it not part of modern football? It (what’s written) is irrelevant really.
“It’s how the players take to it. If they absorb it then it’s a negative, but I think they become robust enough to ignore it and concentrate on their football.
“These things only come into focus when windows are open. It’s the only time players should be thinking about their futures, if at all. Because in the meantime, everything they do affects their future. I’d just encourage them to play at their best level.”
“We are mid-season. We are in the middle of some of the biggest games of Ant’s career, and who knows what’s going to happen with him internationally in the summer, so he has no time to look left or right. He’s got to be fully-focused on straight ahead and the next game and trying to be as good as he can be.
“I’ve been really impressed with him the last few weeks, I think he’s been in a good place. Playing in a central position, I think he’s done really well and we want him to continue that good form.”
Gordon’s own comments on similar reports were equally telling earlier this month, describing them as a “load of rubbish” as he seemed bored of the constant noise.
Speaking to The Chronicle after scoring four goals at Qarabag, he said: “(Rumours) About me? I haven’t seen them. What are they saying?”
“It’s the same old, same old. I think they just pick names out of a hat. They do (names out of the hat). I haven’t heard anything; they might want to tell me before they tell you (the media).”
“I have gone through enough transfer stuff now to know that it is all a load of rubbish.”
The reports and rumours won’t stop. All we can hope is the likes of Gordon, Tonali, Thiaw and Tino do not get distracted heading into a vital few months to end the 2025/26 season.
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