Matthias Jaissle is now in the dugout, but the remnants of the Eddie Howe era at Newcastle United are still clearly discernible.
Much changed on Tyneside this summer, with so many superstars stripped away from the outfit.
Newcastle might feel somewhat hamstrung by the effects of PSR over the past few years, but at least they have remained compliant, and do not face stirring an uproar which could eclipse anything the Premier League has seen.
Back at the height of Howe’s reign, interest in Anthony Gordon was resisted. He may now have left the club, but there was a good reason that Howe wanted to keep the fleet-footed winger on the books for as long as possible.
Why Anthony Gordon was so important for Newcastle
When Newcastle signed Gordon from Everton for £45m in January 2023, a few eyebrows were raised across the Premier League.
But he proved the doubters wrong, instrumental across the Magpies’ modern golden age, winning silverware and leaving this summer to sign for Barcelona in a £69m deal.
Two years earlier, Newcastle were up to their neck in PSR-related bother, and Gordon was viewed as one of the most profitable players on the roster. Liverpool were among the interested parties, and for a time, it looked like a deal could have been struck.
The Toon went for a different route, instead selling fringe players Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson, both having come on leaps and bounds over the past two years. But Gordon was still a special, special player for Howe, who needed him throughout his reign.
Gordon’s pace and skill down the left flank has seen him emerge as one of the most prominent wingers in England. His talismanic self-belief has seen him play as a centre-forward when called upon. Without him, Newcastle would not have climbed back into the Champions League and lifted the Carabao Cup in 2025.
|
Anthony Gordon at Newcastle (all comps) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Apps |
Goals + Assists |
|
25/26 |
46 |
17 + 5 |
|
24/25 |
42 |
9 + 7 |
|
23/24 |
48 |
12 + 16 |
|
22/23 |
16 |
1 + 0 |
The 25-year-old was also named Newcastle’s Player of the Year in 2023/24, his first full season at the club. This is all to say he will be a big miss over the years, even though Bazoumana Toure and Matias Fernandez-Pardo have been signed this summer.
However, there might be another rising star who could be the next Gordon at St. James’ Park.
How Newcastle have signed the new Anthony Gordon
Gordon’s combative and cultured approach to wing play has led him to Barcelona. He has made a fine start in La Liga.
Replacing him won’t be easy, but Newcastle might have already signed a rising prospect with the right skillset to cover Gordon’s old spot in the years to come. Indeed, Seung-soo Park is quickly emerging as one of the most exciting wingers in South Korea, and there is a growing sense that he will earn his professional debut with the Toon this season.
Joining Newcastle from K League 2 side Suwon Bluewings in 2025, Park has impressed with his dribbling and directness, featuring 29 times for the U21s, scoring twice and assisting four goals.
The 19-year-old had been singled out for the tireless work plied over the off-season, clearly determined to make the physical and athletic gains necessary to bloom into a superstar. Asian football expert John Duerden has even noted that he is “similar to Mbappé”.
Quite the lofty praise, but there is a reason there is such a buzz behind a teenage talent who still hasn’t shown his face at the highest level for Newcastle.
Typically found on the left, but comfortable across the frontline, Park has a special kind of versatility in attack reserved for the more elegant and intelligent forwards. Players like Gordon and, indeed, Mbappe.
Whether Park can produce clinical results while controlling his pace and power down the wing remains to be seen, but Newcastle could do with some of his inspiration, so don’t be surprised to see Jaissle give him a chance at some point.
Gordon earned his chance to shine in the Premier League for Newcastle, but the same can’t be said for the likes of Anderson and Minteh, who did not strike superstar status on Tyneside, but have since gone on to achieve great things.
Let’s hope PIF give Park the time he needs to go from strength to strength. The Gordon-esque natural quality is certainly there.