England winger Anthony Gordon putting pen to paper on a new long-term deal at Newcastle United will allow him to put any transfer speculation behind him and renew focus on the job, manager Eddie Howe said on Friday.
Having grabbed 12 goals and 11 assists last season, Gordon has started this campaign slowly with just two goals as Newcastle sit ninth in the standings. The club announced his contract extension on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old had been linked with a move to Liverpool in the close season while he barely played for England at the Euros – factors which Howe said caused a lot of distractions when pre-season preparations got underway.
“(The new contract) cuts out a lot of needless noise around his future. I think now that he can really focus on this season and performing at his very best level,” Howe told reporters ahead of Sunday’s Premier League trip to Chelsea.
“He’s such a talent. We need him absolutely firing and I think this will help him, no doubt, get back to his very best… It was a difficult summer for him, there’s no doubt about that. I think it was a difficult summer for a lot of the players.
“Through no fault of their own, they’re reading headlines on their futures, which can be destabilising, which can lead to a lot of needless energy wasted and a lot of distraction.”
Howe added that although Gordon is training well with Newcastle, his lack of minutes with England while on international duty has seen him fade physically when he returns to play for the club.
“I think when you look at the Manchester City game (where Gordon netted the equaliser), I thought he was very good physically. I thought he was outstanding. We just felt he was probably entering his best physical period for us,” Howe said.
“Then he goes away with England and plays 60 minutes in two weeks. The training is very different there. Through no fault of England’s, he then comes back to us slightly below his best physical levels again.
“I have to say his attitude to his work this week has been very good. He’s done a lot of hard work with a couple of the other players. The physical side of the game, if you’re just 1 per cent or 2 per cent below your best levels at this level, it shows.”
Howe said Callum Wilson is no longer injured but will not be ready for the next three games due to “tightness in his body”.
