Anthony Gordon's Bitter Everton Exit: The 'Hurt' and Fallout Ahead of Newcastle Clash
When Everton face Newcastle United this weekend, the spotlight will firmly be on Anthony Gordon and his reception from the supporters of his former club. The England international, who rose through the ranks at Everton before his £45 million move to Newcastle in 2023, has spoken candidly about the toxic relationship that developed during his departure, leaving a lingering bitterness among many Toffees fans.
A Painful Departure and Its Aftermath
Gordon's exit from Everton was far from amicable. The club took the unusual step of publicly referencing his formal transfer request in their announcement, a move that the player himself has described as "brutal". In a revealing interview with Sky Sports, Gordon admitted, "It hurt me a bit, I'm not going to lie to you. I thought, I'm a 22-year-old lad, I'm not going to handle every situation perfectly, but as a club with thousands of people working for them, I think the effort I gave them last year, I was a massive part in keeping the club up."
He further expressed his disappointment, noting, "I won Players' Player of the Year, Manager's Player of the Year. For them to not really show me any credit or thank me a little bit, it hurt me a bit, yeah." This lack of recognition from Everton, despite his contributions—including seven goals and eight assists in 78 appearances—has fueled the ongoing tension.
The Build-Up to the Transfer
The circumstances leading to Gordon's move were marked by controversy. As the January 2023 transfer window neared its close, Gordon, who had been a first-team regular under Frank Lampard, began missing training sessions. After an approved absence following Lampard's sacking, he skipped two further sessions without explanation, only returning on January 27. At the time, Everton and Newcastle were locked in negotiations, with the selling club initially demanding £60 million and the buyers pushing for a £40 million deal. Ultimately, the transfer settled closer to the lower end of that scale.
Gordon's departure was confirmed on January 29, with Everton's statement highlighting his transfer request—a detail that many fans viewed as a betrayal, given his long-standing ties to the club's academy since age 11. This perception has contributed to the strained relationship that persists to this day.
Performance and Current Standings
Since joining Newcastle, Gordon has thrived, netting 36 goals and making 28 appearances, including a notable hat-trick against Qarabag in the Champions League play-off. In contrast, Everton, under new manager Sean Dyche, managed to avoid relegation with a final-day victory over Bournemouth in the same season Gordon left. When the two teams meet this weekend, the Premier League table shows Everton two places and one point above Newcastle, a stark reversal from the 2022/23 campaign when relegation fears loomed for the Toffees.
Gordon has faced his former club five times since his move, winning twice, though he has yet to secure a victory from the starting line-up. His most recent encounter was as a late substitute in Newcastle's 4-1 win at Hill Dickinson Stadium in November. As the teams prepare for their latest clash, the emotional undercurrents of Gordon's exit promise to add an extra layer of intensity to the fixture.
The fallout from his transfer continues to resonate, with Gordon's candid revelations shedding light on the personal toll of high-stakes football moves. As he steps onto the pitch against Everton, the memories of that "brutal" statement and the hurt it caused will undoubtedly be on his mind, making this reunion a compelling narrative in the Premier League season.
