Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has issued a direct plea to striker Anthony Gordon, urging him to ignore mounting speculation linking him with a summer transfer to Arsenal.
The call comes as Gordon enjoys a rich vein of form, having netted four goals in last week’s Champions League play-off first-leg victory over Qarabag.
Reports emerged on Friday suggesting the 25-year-old forward is a target for the title-chasing Gunners.
Howe, who is still navigating the repercussions of Alexander Isak’s departure to Liverpool last summer, expressed his desire to avoid a similar saga but conceded his limited power to prevent such rumours.
Speaking ahead of Newcastle’s Premier League clash against Gordon’s former club Everton, Howe stated: "I’m not sure there’s a lot I can do about that. I’ve not seen the story, so it’s news to me."
He emphasised the critical juncture of the season for his player. "But we’re mid-season, we’re in the middle of some of the biggest games of his career and who knows what’s going to happen internationally with him in the summer as well?
“He’s got not 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."
Gordon, who earlier this month dismissed rumours of an exit from the club where he signed a new long-term contract in October 2024, is aiming to maintain his impressive form to secure a spot in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for this summer’s World Cup finals.
Howe remains hopeful that the ongoing transfer talk will not unsettle his player.
When asked if he feared the player might be affected, the 48-year-old manager responded: "Only if he reads it, I suppose. In this age, there’s always rumour and speculation.
“I don’t see probably 90 per cent of it – I’m sure the players probably see more than I do – but I think it comes with the territory of being a top player and playing at this level, that there’s going to be speculation.
“I think you’ve just got to put it out of your brain and you’ve got to focus on the football because as we know with our schedule, there’s so many games, there’s no time for distractions. We have to be fully focused on each match."
Howe also addressed the broader trend of numerous Newcastle players, including Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall, Malick Thiaw, Sandro Tonali, and Nick Woltemade, being linked with moves away from St James’ Park. He challenged the media on the source of these stories.
"You tell me. It’s your industry that’s creating those stories. I think it’s irrelevant, really. It’s how the players take to that. If the players absorb it and it affects them, then of course, that’s a negative. But I think our players are robust enough to ignore it."
The comments came as the club awaits their Champions League last 16 opponents, either Barcelona or Chelsea.
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