Over the last couple of seasons, Newcastle United are a club that has endured a huge amount of change – whether that be on or off the pitch at St James’ Park.
From managerial and recruitment team changes to key players being offloaded, the Magpies supporters have seen many top-level talents move on to pastures new.
A handful of players departed Tyneside during the recent summer transfer window, but the sale of one star has proven to be a bigger issue than many anticipated.
Why Newcastle messed up selling Gordon for just £69m
Out of the three high-profile departures from Newcastle this summer, Anthony Gordon departed for the cheapest figure – with Barcelona paying a reported £69m for his signature.
The Englishman was the Magpies’ top goalscorer across all competitions last campaign, subsequently ending the 2025/26 term with 17 goals in his 46 outings.
His tally of 10 goals in his 12 outings in the Champions League was the third-highest of any player in the competition – showcasing his ability to deliver on the biggest stage in Europe.
Since his move to the Nou Camp, Gordon has registered six goals and assists across all competitions, including two assists in 25 minutes on his debut.
Such a figure is higher than any other member of Matthias Jaissle’s current squad, with the Englishman a player who certainly hasn’t been replaced properly by the Magpies hierarchy.
Why Newcastle’s Gordon replacements have been a disaster
After sanctioning Gordon’s sale, the Newcastle board invested over £90m worth of funds to help soften the blow of the Englishman’s move to Barcelona.
Bazoumana Toure was the first player signed by the hierarchy, with the Ivorian moving to St James’ Park from German side Hoffenheim for a reported £42m including add-ons.
The 20-year-old has only featured five times in the Premier League since his big-money move, but none of his appearances have come from a starting position.
He’s featured for a total of 114 minutes in England’s top-flight, but has managed to score – as seen with his consolation effort against Leeds United in September.
Matias Fernandez-Pardo is another attacker who arrived on Tyneside during the summer window, with the Belgian international arriving for a reported £51m from Lille.
|
PL mins for Newcastle (2026/27) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Player |
PL minutes |
Starts |
|
1 |
Harvey Barnes |
705 |
8 |
|
2 |
Yoane Wissa |
621 |
7 |
|
3 |
Jacob Murphy |
332 |
4 |
|
4 |
Matias Fernández-Pardo |
303 |
4 |
|
5 |
Anthony Elanga |
246 |
3 |
|
6 |
William Osula |
179 |
2 |
|
7 |
Bazoumana Touré |
80 |
0 |
However, like Toure, he’s been unable to deliver the goods at St James’ Park, subsequently failing to score in any of his four league starts for the Magpies.
How Newcastle already have the perfect Gordon replacement
Replacing Gordon was always going to be a tricky ask for the Newcastle hierarchy was always going to be a tricky task, but it’s certainly one that’s bigger than they ever expected.
Whilst Toure and Fernandez-Pardo have both struggled to make an immediate impact on Tyneside, they will be given time to make amends in the near future.
However, they could see an added decline in first team minutes in 2027/28, especially after fellow attacker Antonito Cordero returns from his ongoing loan spell.
The Spaniard, who arrived from Malaga in the summer of 2025, is yet to play a first-team game for the Magpies and is spending the year on loan at LaLiga 2 side Cadiz.
The 19-year-old will return to Tyneside next summer upon the completion of his temporary move and will no doubt be knocking on the door for a starting position under Jaissle.
He’s made an impressive start to his loan spell this campaign, with his stats from the last couple of months showcasing why he could be the manager’s own version of Gordon.
Cordero has only started nine games in LaLiga 2 this campaign, but has still managed to register four goals and an assist – the most of any player in Cadiz’s squad.
The aforementioned figure showcases his ability to deliver the goods in the final third on a consistent basis – something which the Englishman did during his own time in the North East.
His underlying stats also make for excellent reading, with the Spaniard able to register an impressive average of 2.9 shots per 90 this term – ranking him in the top 20% of players in the division.
The youngster’s ability to pick out a teammate has also been evident in recent weeks, as he’s managed to complete a staggering 1.7 successful crosses per 90 in 2026/27.
Such a tally is comparable to that of Gordon, who often became known for his ability to deliver the ball from the byline during his own time in the Newcastle senior ranks.
The jump between Cadiz and Newcastle is undoubtedly massive, but there’s no reason why Cordero can’t succeed upon his return to Tyneside next season.
He has all the tools needed to be a success in the modern-game and could well be the club’s answer to replacing the recently departed English attacker.
