Howe intimated any Newcastle player who isn’t 100% committed will not play for him at St James’ park
Newcastle United Head Coach Eddie Howe (Image: 2026 Newcastle United)
Given everything that has happened around Newcastle United this week, it was always going to be a press conference packed with narrative on Friday morning.
Eddie Howe addressed the media in a week where the pressure over his position of head coach grew exponentially in the wake of last Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace leaving Newcastle 14th in the Premier League table.
It was also a week in which the club’s majority owners PIF were in the news for selling their majority stake in Al-Hilal amid rumours their funding for the LIV Golf tour could also be cut. They remain committed to Newcastle but the repositioning of their priorities has left an air of unease around the club.
But it was perhaps a question surrounding transfer speculation of his Magpies players that elicited one of the most interesting responses of the morning from the United head coach.
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Ever since David Hopkinson publicly admitted that Newcastle may sell one of their star players this summer – albeit on their terms – interest in some of the club’s big hitters has ramped up.
Sandro Tonali has attracted interest from both sides of Manchester, as well as Arsenal. Tino Livramento has Man City and Arsenal among his admirers, while any club in the Premier League would love to boast Bruno Guimaraes or Lewis Hall as part of their squad.
But it was Anthony Gordon who attracted headlines this week, with Bayern Munich keen to sign him this summer. The suggestion is Gordon would be open to that move and, inevitably, Howe was questioned about it on Friday morning.
“I remember you telling us a few weeks ago after the news about Sandro Tonali, the links with Sandro Tonali moving elsewhere in the summer, there have been similar reports regarding Anthony Gordon this week,” began a reporter’s question.
“You said back then you spoke to Sandro. Have you had similar conversations with Anthony Gordon? Has he communicated anything with you at all?”
To which Howe replied: “I discuss things with players all the time. I don’t necessarily discuss transfer speculation unless I feel it’s got to a point where I have to.
“I think after the chat with Sandro, I think the biggest thing I look for is the commitment to training because if I see the commitment to the training ground work, the player will perform. And that’ll be the same with Anthony, that’ll be the same with every player.
“One thing I’m not going to do is in any way play a player, any player, if I don’t feel they’re 100% committed to the club and to its future. Because that commitment, that resolve, that what a player gives the team has to be total.
“And I’m not talking about Anthony here, I’m talking generally across the board. I’ve always got to do what I think is right for the team and I’ll continue to do that.”
It was a response that caught the attention of the room. He didn’t have to mention the fact he wouldn’t play players who are 100% committed and he also clarified he wasn’t talking about Gordon.
So if not Gordon, who was he speaking about? It was a comment that felt barbed and while he may have been speaking more generally, it didn’t feel that way inside the press conference room in the Newcastle United media centre.
He could also have been speaking more broadly about players within the squad he hasn’t perhaps trusted this season but it could also apply to any of the players linked with a move away from Tyneside this summer.
His team selection on Saturday may have taken on extra meaning as a result. Who is, and perhaps more tellingly who isn’t, in the starting XI vs Bournemouth will be instructive.