Newcastle United great Alan Shearer has suggested that the club never got the best out of Anthony Gordon following the winger’s permanent move to Barcelona earlier in the summer transfer window.
Speaking after the transfer, Shearer praised the Spain move and offered his assessment of why Gordon’s spell at St James’ Park fell short of expectations.
Gordon departed the Magpies in the early stages of the summer window to join Barcelona in a deal reported to be worth up to €90million (£76.3million) including add-ons.
The winger has since made an encouraging start to his career in La Liga, registering five assists in the Spanish top flight despite not yet opening his goal account for his new club.
He has also featured for England during the recent international break.
The move brought an end to three-and-a-half years at Newcastle, a period in which Gordon scored 39 goals across 152 appearances for the club.
Shearer, who has previously had disagreements with Gordon, stated that the forward only showed a fraction of his ability during his time on Tyneside, but said he held no issue with the player.
The former Newcastle striker added that Gordon had appeared eager to leave and suggested that the appeal of Barcelona had made the decision straightforward, pointing to a combination of the player’s appetite for the new surroundings and his satisfaction with the transfer as key factors in the move.
In other Newcastle matters, summer signing Fernandez-Pardo is still awaiting his first goal for the club after arriving from Lille, while Toure has scored twice in his opening four appearances of the season.
The side is set to return to Premier League action following the international break on Monday, 12 October, with an away fixture against Coventry City.