Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool and Newcastle are all interested in AC Milan's Portuguese winger Rafael Leao with the 26-year-old keen to leave San Siro this summer. (Calciomercato - in Italian), external
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Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesLast summer was a turbulent one for Newcastle, particularly without an executive structure in place.
However, boss Eddie Howe believed the club would be in a position to make smarter and quicker decisions - in and out - following the appointments of sporting director Ross Wilson and chief executive David Hopkinson earlier this season.
Gordon's situation felt the first real test.
It was clear the forward was the likeliest of Newcastle's key players to depart after he was left on the bench for each of the final four games of the season.
But would this turn into a situation which played out in public and dragged on like the Alexander Isak saga to Liverpool last summer? Not at all.
Progress on this particular transfer moved quickly in private.
Barcelona had a prior interest, but the club's formal talks with Newcastle only emerged publicly on Wednesday morning. By the evening, an agreement had been reached.
It feels like a rare big-money transfer where all three parties end up being relatively satisfied.
Barcelona land a top target before the window even formally opens, while Newcastle secure their second biggest ever transfer fee, and Gordon gets a dream move.
Newcastle ideally do not want to lose key players like Gordon, but the club simply have to get better at becoming more strategic traders and recognising when is the right time to sell.
Given the impressive Champions League campaign Gordon enjoyed, it felt like the opportune moment.
Newcastle are still likely to do further trading this summer as part of an extensive rebuild, but this first key sale feels significant in enabling the club to reinvest.
Factoring in potential departures, they could end up being in the market for a goalkeeper, full-back, midfielder and multiple forwards this summer.
Newcastle did not quite get it right when they brought in a similar number of players last year after losing out on some ambitious top targets.
So this window has to be different if the club are to bounce back following a disappointing 12th-placed finish in the Premier League.
Image source, Getty ImagesAnthony Gordon spent three and a half years with Newcastle after joining from Everton in January 2023, making 152 appearances, and was their top scorer this season with 17 goals.
"I owe this club a lot because, when I arrived, I was quite lost both in life and in football," he told the club's website as his £69.3m transfer to Barcelona was confirmed on Friday.
"The club has given me a sense of belonging and a sense of identity. It's allowed me to do what I always thought I could do. It's put me on the biggest stage and allowed me to perform for the shirt.
"It was really important for me to leave this place in a good way because I've loved every single minute of being a part of Newcastle United.
"This is an incredible club and one that I'll never forget. I'll be a fan for the rest of my life."
Newcastle were in a strong position to command a premium for Gordon as he still had four years left to run on his contract at St James' Park.
He was left on the bench for the final four Premier League games of the campaign by head coach Eddie Howe, but fans briefly sang his name following their 2-0 defeat at Fulham on the last day.
"While we're disappointed to lose Anthony, we understand that this is a big opportunity for him," said Howe.
"He leaves with our best wishes, and I am confident that he will go on to be a success, both with Barcelona and the national team at this year's World Cup."
Everton are in line to receive 15% of the profit Newcastle make on Gordon after selling the academy graduate in a deal worth up to £45m.
Image source, Getty ImagesWe asked for your views on which players Newcastle should sign from the three relegated Premier League sides Wolves, Burnley and West Ham United.
Here are some of your comments:
George: I would take Jarrod Bowen in a heartbeat and El Hadji Malick Diouf from West Ham would be really good for squad depth for seasons to come. He could be sold for a good amount of profit if we needed the finances too.
Matt: Bowen would be ideal, but only at the right price. At his age there would be little to no resale value, so you're probably talking £30-35m max.
Mark: The obvious player would be Bowen. It was annoying we missed out on him all those years ago under Steve Bruce. Zian Flemming [Burnley] looks a good player.
Andrew: We need to be pushing for Bowen. Our right side of our attack has been weak for a long, long time and Bowen would add balance, experience and quality.
Arun: Kyle Walker [Burnley] would be a solid signing as he brings experience with Kieran Trippier leaving and he still has the pace required to compete in the Premier League.
Matt: Diouf from West Ham to back up Lewis Hall would be good, but probably too expensive. Expect Mateus Fernandes to go to a big club. Bowen would be perfect if younger. Hugo Bueno from Wolves if cheap and Mateus Mane.
Ollie: It has to be Bowen. What a player who would fit in so well at Newcastle. Plays for the team, great endurance and great intensity. Would love to see him on the teamsheet next season.
Ian: One player that has really impressed me is Taty Castellanos from West Ham. He is too good for the Championship. Buy him now, maybe we can get a good price.
Image source, Getty Images
The most significant moment of the season - good or bad - was...
The capitulation at the Nou Camp in March. Newcastle competed admirably in the opening 45 minutes against Barcelona, having previously come within seconds of a famous victory in the first leg of this Champions League last-16 tie at St James' Park. But what unfolded in the second half in Spain put a completely different complexion on it and left Eddie Howe's side with some lasting scars after a 7-2 hammering.
The season has been a success or failure because...
Newcastle missed out on qualifying for Europe in a campaign where there were a whopping eight spots up for grabs. The Magpies reached the knockout stages of the Champions League and a third League Cup semi-final in four years, but they lost far too many games domestically, so it has to be described as a failure.
The unsung hero of the season is....
Harvey Barnes. That may seem a strange choice - Barnes is Newcastle's second-highest top scorer in all competitions this season - but the forward does not always get the headlines. He has popped up with some important contributions throughout the campaign.
If there's a player or staff member with more to do in future it is...
Yoane Wissa. The striker has bagged just three goals since completing a £55m move from Brentford. A serious knee injury hardly helped him, following a disrupted pre-season, but there have been too few glimpses of the goalscorer who shone elsewhere last season.
The major club issue or talking point lurking is...
The huge rebuild this summer. After such a turbulent window last year, can Newcastle get it right this time around without the wages of the league's highest-earning clubs and any European football whatsoever? They certainly have to after this bruising season.
The reason for hope going forward is….
Newcastle finally have a stable executive structure in place following the appointments of chief executive David Hopkinson and sporting director Ross Wilson. Whether it is the forthcoming transfer window or progress on major infrastructure projects, the pair have to ensure the club quickly gets back on track.
Matty Renton
Fan contributor
Image source, Getty ImagesDear Kieran,
First and foremost, an enormous thank you is in order.
Thank you for being the first to believe in the black and white project. Our first signing under the new ownership and one of the most important of our entire history.
The legacy you are leaving will never be forgotten.
The word legend gets thrown around a lot these days, but that's an understatement for you.
A real leader on and off the pitch. A talisman who brought silverware back to the toon after a long, treacherous 70-year wait.
Hope to see you back in Newcastle one day, whether that's as a manager, a coach or a fan, you're always welcome.
I promise you'll never have to buy a pint in this city again!
I'm sure I speak for all of the fanbase in wishing you the best of luck in your next move and, once again, thank you for the memories.
Howay the lads.
All the best,
Matty
Find more from Matty Renton at The Magpie Channel, external
The curtain has officially come down on the 2025-26 Premier League season.
Players will depart and squads will be strengthened when the summer transfer window opens on Monday, 15 June.
With Wolves, Burnley and West Ham United all heading down to the Championship - would you be keen to poach any of their players?
Who would be good value for money and why? Which name would be best to avoid?
Image source, Getty ImagesWe asked for your views after Barcelona agreed a deal to sign Anthony Gordon for a fee worth over £69m and whether you believe it is a good deal for Newcastle United.
Here are some of your comments:
Leslie: Good luck to Anthony. He has had a good three years for us. Not done an Isak. Can leave with his head held high. It's a good price and we can bring in a couple of good players for that money. Mixed up with some of the good young lads and only one game a week. The future is bright. It's black and white!
Craig: Selling Anthony Gordon to Barca for a decent profit is a good thing compared with selling to the Premier League big six.
Ben: I'm absolutely delighted Gordon is moving on. Take penalties from his output and he's been bang average for two seasons. He works hard and he's fast, but I can't remember the last time he took on a man and his ball striking is mediocre at best. We need to reinvest wisely in young players who will grow with the club. Gordon thinks he's better than the Toon, but I think he'll find out he's not good enough for Barcelona.
Nat: This is a great deal for so many reasons. It's a good fee, it's early business (learning from the Isak saga) and I'd rather get in a player who really wants to play for us. I'd also say he's only really had one very good season for us. He's had 17 cumulative goals and assists this season, which sounds good on paper until you see how many of them were from penalties or against poor European teams. I like the guy and wish him well. He's leaving in the right way (unlike some). Thanks for everything but I think this is a good deal for all parties.
Gareth: This season Gordon has been dreadful and it's been obvious he wanted away so it's a good deal for Newcastle.
Eric: Because we can't offer European football next season, our better players will want to leave. It's good to get the business done early - hopefully, we've already identified targets to bring in. And at least Gordon can't come back to haunt us in the Premier League next season. If players don't want to play for the club, move them on ASAP.
Owen: Gutted. Thought if he went, he'd go for a higher value. Can't blame him but I do have faith in Eddie Howe and hope he is given the players he asks for. Good luck to Gordon - he's been great for us, but I would've liked to see him stay and improve both himself and our team.
John: Nice to get it done early, but feels like we should have held out for another £10m, given the market and Everton's sell-on-profit clause. Not terribly sad to see him go but the key this summer is using our money wisely rather than wasting and overpaying.
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle United will face Everton in a pre-season friendly at Edinburgh's Murrayfield Stadium on Wednesday, 12 August (kick-off 17:15 BST).
The fixture will be an opportunity for both teams to step up their preparations just before the 2026-27 Premier League season starts on Saturday, 22 August.
It is set to be the first summer friendly between the two sides since the Barcelona Cup final in 1924, when the Toffees triumphed.
In addition, it will be Newcastle and Everton's first visit to the 101-year-old venue, which is in the heart of the Scottish capital and has a capacity of 67,144.
Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe said: "An exciting test against Premier League opposition at a historic venue will play an important part in our pre-season preparations.
"I'm sure our fans will bring a special atmosphere to Edinburgh, giving the players a massive lift as we build towards the new campaign."
Everton manager David Moyes said: "Pre-season is an important period for the players and the staff - so a fixture like this, in one of the most iconic stadiums in the country, will help us continue building.
"This fixture gives Evertonians the chance to come together, enjoy the occasion and get behind the team in what should be a really good day."
Anthony Gordon's time on Tyneside is running out, with a deal agreed for the Newcastle forward to join Barcelona.
Across four campaigns for the Magpies, the 25-year-old has featured in 111 Premier League games and had 41 goal involvements in the top flight.
Former defender John Anderson told BBC Radio Newcastle: "I am sure the player himself will want his future sorted out before he goes to the World Cup.
"Everybody accepted towards the back end of the season that he was going to go, even though he has four years left on his contract.
"To be fair to the manager, he probably knew he was going to go anyway."
Although Gordon was available to feature in the final four games of the season, Eddie Howe kept the forward on the bench.
Anderson added: "He hasn't done what Alexander Isak has done, but he has obviously let people in high places know that he wants to go."
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Oscar Mingueza wants a Premier League move this summer, with Newcastle United among the clubs tracking the 227-year-old Celta Vigo and Spain defender, who is set to become a free agent. (Sky Sports), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column
Barcelona have agreed a deal worth more than £69m with Newcastle United for England forward Anthony Gordon.
BBC Sport previously reported the clubs were in advanced talks as they looked to agree a fee.
These had been described as positive and a deal has now been struck worth in excess of 80m euros (£69.3m).
Gordon will now finalise the formalities of his move before he flies out with his England team-mates to the United States for a training camp before the World Cup.
Is this a good deal for the Magpies?
Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle have to get this summer right following a turbulent window a year ago.
The club missed out on a host of first-choice targets; the majority of signings arrived too late; there was no chief executive or sporting director in place; and they ultimately buckled and sold Alexander Isak on deadline day after previously holding firm for so long.
Clubs such as Brentford and Bournemouth have rebuilt smartly after selling key players, but Newcastle have not seen enough of a return from a £100m-plus net recruitment drive that Howe was heavily involved in last summer.
Only defender Malick Thiaw has been an unqualified success.
Because of the relentless schedule between September and March, such signings have mainly relied on analysis sessions rather than physical work to adapt to the intensity, detail and structure of life under Howe.
Jacob Ramsey only had a brief window into Howe's sessions before the fixtures piled up and the midfielder was understood to have found the level of high-intensity running within the drills a jolt at first after being used to a more relaxed way of training, even under the demanding Unai Emery at Aston Villa.
It was a snapshot of the adjustment period so many new signings go through before they find their feet at Newcastle.
Eddie Howe hopes last summer's arrivals will be better for the experience as Newcastle look to reverse a trend moving forward.
Although the head coach has outperformed teams with bigger wage bills in years gone by, his side ended up floundering in the bottom half this time around.
Unlike bitter rivals Sunderland, who beat Newcastle home and away, Howe's men failed to qualify for Europe in a season where eight qualification spots were up for grabs.
Such a boom-bust cycle is unsustainable, but Howe previously thrived when he had had the luxury of extended clear periods to prepare for Premier League games throughout the season.
He has to again.
"Every experience makes you stronger and makes you appreciate the good times," the head coach added. "We will all try and come back a better team."
Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesIt was hardly a surprise that, earlier in May, owners, executives and leading figures plotted how to bounce back from a poor Newcastle season during an annual summit in Northumberland.
"We are in a moment right now and they want to understand why, what we are doing about it and how to fix it," a senior source said.
Rather than reacting emotionally, though, those at the top have sought to address what has gone wrong with the help of thorough, dispassionate analysis.
Some big changes are coming and this squad will look different when next season kicks off.
There remains a gap in valuation between Bayern Munich and Newcastle, who will only sell on "our terms", but Anthony Gordon looks set to be among those to leave, with Barcelona also joining the race for the winger.
Factoring in potential outgoings, Newcastle could need a goalkeeper, full-back, midfielder and a couple of forwards as a bare minimum.
Having grown "frustrated" with recurring on-the-field issues he has been unable to solve, Howe said the club are "very clear" on what is required this summer after a disappointing 12th-placed finish.
It will take more than new faces alone, but Howe has pointed to examples of other clubs climbing the table following some smart recruitment in a single window.
As BBC Sport previously reported, the head coach has been viewed as part of the diagnosis and solution going into a crucial summer rebuild led by sporting director Ross Wilson.
But, Newcastle have to rediscover their edge. They were once notable for an ability to finish off the opposition. In 2024-25, no other team threw away fewer points than the Magpies (seven).
They have squandered the most points from winning positions (27) in the top flight and conceded the most goals (21) in the final 15 minutes of games.
A once fierce team have become flaky.
It has been a real slog, the first time many in the dressing room have experienced a mentally-draining 58-game season.
Even the coaching staff did not feel they could truly savour victories at the height of it, wary a defeat a few days later could swing the momentum the other way.
Newcastle were never quite able to go on the sort of defining run they had enjoyed in years gone by, in a campaign where 71% of their league defeats were by a single goal. Howe needs to swiftly find a way to get back on the right side of those margins.
Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesThere is the very real prospect that Newcastle could end up losing their top-scorer for the second summer running.
So, have lessons been learned from the damaging Alexander Isak saga?
Newcastle initially held firm after Isak pushed to join Liverpool but the club ultimately buckled and sold the striker for a British-record £125m on deadline day.
In contrast to last summer, though, when Newcastle operated without an executive structure, the club now have a chief executive, David Hopkinson, and sporting director, Ross Wilson, firmly in place.
The absence of a sporting director in particular was felt when it came to handling the Isak situation and dealing with agents.
There has since been a shift in tone and approach.
Former chief executive Darren Eales previously said it would be "crazy" for Newcastle to sell their best players but Hopkinson has struck a slightly different note.
The Canadian said last March the club would look to "maximise the opportunity" and extract the best possible price if individuals were to move on this summer.
So, rather than Newcastle looking over their shoulder, the prospect of Bayern Munich and Barcelona going head to head for Anthony Gordon will be viewed as a potential opportunity to secure a substantial sum to reinvest and refresh a floundering side.
Lewis Miley has extended his Newcastle contract but where might he spend his time on the pitch in the future?
Is he a defender or a midfield dynamo?
Ex-Magpies defender John Anderson has had his say on the contract and where Miley will be best used.
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Charlotte Robson
Fan writer
Image source, Getty ImagesSeason score out of 10 and overriding emotion?
Newcastle's season can't have much more than a 5/10 really, and many of my friends would consider that generous. We made it to a cup semi-final and to the last 16 of the Champions League, but at what cost? Almost being sucked into a relegation conversation, injuries and a 13th-place finish?
Best moment and why?
Being in Cologne - but that had nothing to do with the football, which we lost, and everything to do with following my team in Europe and being with my friends. When performances and results are bad, friends and community become the answer to the question: why am I doing this to myself? So that was my highlight.
Player of season and why?
Bruno Guimaraes is my player of the season. We don't win without him. He spent some of the season out injured - had he not, then we'd have finished in the top 10. He had the most goal contributions of his career so far this season (even with the period out of the team) and he understands what it means to the fans. My king.
Unsung hero and why?
Jacob Ramsey because he has quietly been getting better in a team that has loudly been getting worse. There is a lot of potential there.
Biggest disappointment?
Yoane Wissa. He came to us and then immediately got injured so has been playing catch-up ever since, but I simply cannot watch him fluff another one-on-one with the keeper. He's a striker, for heaven's sake. I'm sure he's lovely but he was a terrible waste of money.
What needs to change this summer?
So much. If no shake-ups are going to happen at management level, then an enormous amount of movement must be committed to at squad level. We need fresh legs, raw talent and players who want to play for the manager. If we don't get that, the beginning of 2026-27 is going to be very bumpy.
Major hope for next season?
That we look like Newcastle United again. That we go back to playing exciting football. We saw hints of it at the back end of this season; it's possible. I want a unified, intense, game-playing team. With no European football to deal with, there are no excuses.
Find more from Charlotte Robson at the True Faith: Newcastle United Podcast, external
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