Anthony Gordon has joined European giants Barcelona, and despite seemingly being replaced, Marcus Rashford provides him nothing but support.
Gordon, who leaves Newcastle after making 152 appearances since joining in 2023, has decided to take on a new challenge, following in Rashford's footsteps by leaving the premier league and joining the iconic FC Barcelona.
Their €80m valuation in spite of their recent financial troubles, should fill Gordon with all the confidence he needs to make an immediate impact for the Catalan club next season, but it appears he also has the backing of the international teammate he seems to be replacing.
Given that Gordon has been signed to play in Rashford's position of left wing, the potential for hostility between the pair at England's World Cup camp, was understandably high.
This only increased when England announced their official shirt numbers for the squad, with Rashford earning the No.11 shirt, suggesting he will feature in the starting lineup over Gordon, who picked up no. 18.
However, the two England stars have been spotted deep in conversation in Miami, with Gordon insisting his teammate has been "very caring", and has even suggested areas in the city for him to live.
What's next for Marcus Rashford?
As Gordon steps further into the limelight, the future of Marcus Rashford remains uncertain, as Barcelona have so far been unwilling to use his €30m buy option in his loan deal from Manchester United, a club who are also keen to move the forward on despite their revival under new permanent manager, Michael Carrick.
It has become clear that Marcus would prefer to stay in Spain, claiming it as his "ultimate goal", which isn't surprising as he has won both La Liga and the Supercup in his first season, with 28 goal involvements across all competitions, scoring twice against Gordon's former club, Newcastle United, in the champions league.
Hansi Flick has also heavily praised the Englishman for his performances, and would like to keep him at Camp Nou, however with United's reluctance to lower his permanent transfer fee, and Barcelona's immediate signing of a new winger in the summer transfer window, it seems increasingly likely that Rashford's time with the Blaugranes is coming to a close.
Whatever his personal outcome may be, it is refreshing to see such a high level of professionalism and support for his international teammate, Gordon, during what is the biggest moment of his career.
How do Newcastle feel after losing another key player?
The Magpies seem happy with the fee and speed of which this transfer got over the line, avoiding similar delays that they faced when selling Alexander Isak for €150 million to Liverpool last season.
This gives them the full summer transfer window to pursue Gordon's replacement, and bolster the rest of their squad as they aim to bounce back from a disappointing 12th place finish in the Premier League, their lowest finish since the 2020/2021 season under former manager, Steve Bruce.
Newcastle have identified Victor Munoz of Osasuna as their primary attacking replacement, but with futures uncertain around both Tonali and Bruno Guimares, they are keen to buy a central midfielder as well, with strong interest in Monaco star and Senegalese international, Lamine Camara.
With experienced players such as Kieran Trippier already moving on, it's a chance for Newcastle to create a new identity, and with last years signings yet to make a consistent impact, this transfer window feels even more significant.
The Toon army want an immediate bounce back from the club next year, with securing a return to European football being their main objective.
