As the Euros group stage comes to a close, how's your scouting report gone?
Who has caught your eye as a perfect signing for Newcastle?
And how would they fit into Eddie Howes's starting XI?
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle winger Anthony Gordon says the lack of game time for England at Euro 2024 is "frustrating".
The 23-year-old came on in the 90th minute of the Three Lions' final group game against Slovenia on Tuesday night.
It was his first minutes for the side in Germany and his debut at a major tournament.
With Phil Foden struggling to make an impact in his unnatural position on the left-hand side of midfield for the first two games, many pundits and fans had been calling for Gordon to come into the team.
When he came on against the tight defence of the Slovenian side, he showed his pace and link-up play with other substitutes Kobbie Mainoo and Cole Palmer.
"I won't lie to you - it is frustrating because I want to play," he said after the match, external. "I think every player here does and it is difficult because we have so many good players.
"Watching from the sideline, any game at any level is hard. You just want to come on the pitch because you feel you can make an impact.
"I felt like I did when I came on. I tried to get at people, be direct and cause problems in the few minutes I got. I'll always try and do that."
Image source, Getty Images
It is difficult to judge players properly when they come on late in a game, but Cole Palmer did well against Slovenia, and England looked more of a threat.
It was the same with Anthony Gordon, who had a couple of runs down the left. With him on the pitch, we probably looked more dangerous down that flank in the final five minutes as we did in the rest of the three games combined.
The move right at the end that started with Jude Bellingham and Gordon on the left and ended with Palmer's shot being saved was probably the best thing England did all night.
It was the only time at these Euros that I saw us move the ball from left to right with pace, and it caused the opposition problems.
We need to see much more of that. Palmer and Gordon could be the key to providing the spark and energy we have been badly missing.
That is what gives me the most hope because there has not been very much else to get excited about.
Palmer and Gordon have given Gareth Southgate something massive to think about - and he has got some huge decisions to make.
One tiny positive from our tournament is the side of the draw we are now on - avoiding Spain, France, Portugal and Germany has done us a huge favour - but I'm not sure we can go into any game right now feeling confident about winning.
Normally I would say that our tournament starts here, but I do not really know what to expect in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday, whoever we end up facing.
Image source, Getty Images
Before England's final Euro 2024 group game against Slovenia, BBC chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering readers' questions on all things England.
Gareth: Before the tournament, Gareth Southgate said he was going to copy a tactic from the playbook of England's former rugby union coach Eddie Jones - where he would seek to use the wider quality in his squad by using impact subs he called "finishers" to either bring something different to the attack (like Cole Palmer or Anthony Gordon) or to bring control to midfield (Kobbie Mainoo or Adam Wharton). But his substitutions have been poor and not impactful.
Why do you think this is and do you think he'll seek to better leverage the depth of talent in his squad as the tournament progresses?
Phil answered: He tried that when he made those three changes after 69 minutes against Denmark, replacing his whole forward line of Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden with Eberechi Eze, Ollie Watkins and Jarrod Bowen.
By that time, however, all the momentum had got away from England and the fact he made those three substitutions at the same time showed what a mess they had become.
It was all very like-for-like and did not work. There is still time, however, for Gordon and Palmer to make their mark.
Read more of the Q&A with McNulty, plus the rest of the day's football news
Image source, Getty ImagesDebate continues about who England manager Gareth Southgate should name in his starting XI for England's final group match against Slovenia at Euro 2024.
A selection of BBC Sport pundits, along with chief football writer Phil McNulty, have picked their England teams for Tuesday's game and some have called for Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon to get his first start of the tournament.
Former England captain Wayne Rooney: "I'd play Gordon off the left, Bukayo Saka on the right, with Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham in the middle. Phil Foden is number 10 and Harry Kane up top.
"Dropping Bellingham back a little bit and giving Phil that space to roam, with Gordon and Saka keeping the width, will make a big difference to the team."
Rooney's starting XI: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier, Rice, Bellingham, Saka, Foden, Gordon, Kane.
Former Newcastle midfielder Jermaine Jenas: "Gordon needs to come in. He's not a better player than Phil Foden, but he naturally holds the width on the left and runs forward off the ball, which is what we're missing."
Jenas' starting XI: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Guehi, Gomez, Rice, Mainoo, Saka, Bellingham, Gordon, Kane.
Chief football writer Phil McNulty: "England's left side has looked unbalanced so I would go with Gordon in front of his Newcastle team-mate Kieran Trippier. I would bank on their understanding from club level to work and on Gordon to give England more natural width, pace and a goal threat."
McNulty's starting XI: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier, Rice, Bellingham, Saka, Foden, Gordon, Kane.
Dan Roan
Sports editor
Image source, Getty ImagesEverton, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Newcastle fans might have woken up on Saturday and mistakenly thought it was transfer deadline day.
Lesser-known academy products Tim Iroegbunam and Lewis Dobbin were exchanged in separate deals between Everton and Villa for a reported £9m each. Then BBC Sport reported Villa were close to selling another academy youngster - teenager Omari Kellyman - to Chelsea for a reported £19m.
Next, there was confirmation that going the other way is Chelsea's homegrown Dutch defender Ian Maatsen for £37.5m, in another separate transaction.
Everton meanwhile, were also said to be interested in Newcastle United's highly rated Gambian teenager Yankuba Minteh. At the same time, Newcastle were closing in on a deal to sign striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin from Everton.
But it wasn't 1 September, it was a normal Saturday in June. And one thing all four of these busy clubs have in common? Concerns over their Premier League 'Profit and Sustainability' (PSR) position as they approach the 30 June accounting deadline.
This flurry of transfer activity immediately drew scepticism, but has also annoyed some rival clubs.
And BBC Sport knows of at least one club that is so concerned it intends to raise the matter with the Premier League.
No-one is breaking the rules, but questions have been raised over valuations, the use of young players, and whether this has highlighted a loophole in the league's PSR system which can be used to limit losses.
Alex Howell
Football news reporter
Image source, PA MediaEngland manager Gareth Southgate has a few selection headaches going into the final group match against Slovenia on Tuesday.
The performance in Thursday's 1-1 draw with Denmark in the second group game was criticised and Southgate described Trent Alexander-Arnold playing in midfield as an "experiment".
Should he be left out, that would mean one of Conor Gallagher, who has featured in both games so far, Kobbie Mainoo or Adam Wharton coming into midfield as Southgate looks to improve the level of control his side has during matches.
Kieran Trippier, who has been filling in at left-back for the injured Luke Shaw, missed nine games towards the end of the Premier League season and has played more during the tournament than was initially planned.
Trippier was seen to be drinking pickle juice during the first group game against Serbia as he went down with cramp and there had been hope that Shaw would be fit enough to have featured by now.
Shaw has not been on the training pitch with his team-mates for the past two sessions and has been following an individual programme, but was back on the pitch on Monday.
If Trippier is to be rested for the final group game, BBC Sport understands there is a strong possibility that Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa could come into that position.
Joe Gomez has also played in that position for his club side Liverpool and has played there in the matches leading up to the tournament for England.
Newcastle United are planning to sell Callum Wilson if they can agree a deal to sign fellow England striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, 27, from Everton. (Football Insider), external
Lyon have entered the race to sign Magpies winger Yankuba Minteh. (Fabrizio Romano), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column
Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle's Kieran Trippier has been operating in the left-back role for England at Euro 2024, but is his partnership with Phil Foden working?
In short - no.
One issue is that neither player is being deployed where they usually operate for their club, in right-back and central midfield respectively.
Since signing for the Magpies from Atletico Madrid in January 2022, Trippier has made 92 appearances for the club - but never on the left side of defence.
The 33-year-old has, in fact, only ever played at left-back once at club level.
Gareth Southgate chose to take injured Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw to Germany in the hope he would be fit by the end of the group stage, and in the meantime has put Trippier in that position. Had Chelsea's Ben Chilwell not been sidelined with injury since 2 March, he would most likely have been second choice to Shaw.
"I would not say it is any different to playing right-back," Trippier said before the tournament started. "I am not left-footed but wherever I play or don't play, I will be ready."
Image source, PA MediaBut while he has not made any game-changing mistakes so far, his partnership down the wing with Manchester City's Foden is yet to click.
Should Southgate want to make a change, there is an argument to try Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold instead, but he too is not a natural left-back.
Another possible alternative is to keep Trippier in place and try a different left-winger, and one option is Trippier's Newcastle team-mate Anthony Gordon.
He naturally runs at defenders and would provide the pace that England have desperately lacked so far. But to drop the Premier League's player of the year - Foden - would be a big call from the England boss.
As the debate rolls on, Trippier has urged for calmness amid the understandable frustrations of supporters.
"There is no need to panic," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "There is so much we can improve on, with and without the ball, but we have to stay calm and positive.
"Most importantly, we stay together. We know as a group of players and as individuals that we can take it up so many more levels."
Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesOn Thursday, Alan Shearer was critical of England’s performance against Denmark, suggesting Harry Kane needs pace around him.
With that in mind, there have been calls for Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon to come into the team.
He would certainly bring pace and perhaps free up the other England attackers.
With Kieran Trippier playing at left-back, Gordon’s natural way of running in behind and staying wide could allow the team to flourish.
He is also renowned for his work-rate and could solve the problem England are having with pressing.
Image source, Getty ImagesAfter an opening win over Serbia and a draw with Denmark, England are well placed to qualify as group winners for the last 16 at Euro 2024.
However, a lack of vibrancy and rhythm in their front line has drawn plenty of criticism from observers.
Former midfielder Izzy Christiansen believes England's main issues lie on the left side of the pitch and reckons Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon could provide the solution.
"I am on the Gordon train," she told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "I think that he needs to have a sniff and he needs to have a go because he is so direct.
"He will bring a totally different dynamic to that England forward line.
"He can create, he can score and his pressing is exceptional. He has got good energy."
Listen to the latest episode of Football Daily at the Euros here
Image source, Getty ImagesFormer Premier League midfielder Nabil Bentaleb has been taken to hospital in France after falling ill.
The Algeria international, who started his senior career at Tottenham in 2013, joined Lille from Angers last year, making 34 appearances.
Bentaleb, 29, was "immediately taken care of and sent for hospitalisation" Lille said in a statement.
The club added: "LOSC [Lille] accompanies Nabil as closely as possible during this ordeal and gives him all its support."
Bentaleb spent three years at Spurs, making 46 Premier League appearances, before joining Schalke in 2017.
He also had a loan spell at Newcastle in 2020 and has 52 caps and five goals for Algeria, having made his international debut in 2014.
"We’re sending you all our love and best wishes, Nabil. Everyone at the club is with you," Spurs said on social media., external
Newcastle also shared on X, external: "Everyone at is with you, Nabil. We wish you a speedy recovery."
The Algerian Football Federation wished Bentaleb "a speedy recovery" in statement on social media.
Arsenal could look to make a player-plus-cash offer for Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes. (Football Transfers), external
Athletic Bilbao's Spain winger Nico Williams, 21, continues to hold out for a move to Barcelona, despite having talks with Newcastle, Aston Villa, Arsenal and Liverpool. (HITC), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column
Image source, ReutersThere has been much said and written about Phil Foden's display in England's 1-0 win over Serbia on Sunday, but stats from Uefa show he covered the second-greatest distance of any player during the first round of group matches at Euro 2024.
Only Serbia's Sergey Milinkovic-Savic (13.9km) covered more ground than Manchester City's Foden (13.2km), while England colleagues Declan Rice of Arsenal (12.9km) and Kieran Trippier of Newcastle United (12.3km) were fifth and eighth in the list respectively.
City's Bernardo Silva was seventh with a total of 12.7km in Portugal's 2-1 win over Czech Republic, while Czech captain Tomas Soucek of West Ham was 10th, covering 12.3km.
In an interview on The Overlap with former Premier League defender Gary Neville earlier this year, Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon gave an insight into his mental toughness and his love of books on psychology and sport.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live's Steve Crossman at the England Euro 2024 camp on Tuesday, he revealed the book that has had the biggest impact on him is Winning by Tim Grover. The author is the former trainer of NBA legends Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
Gordon said: "That's an incredible book about mentality and the things you've got to go through to really succeed. It's basically saying you can do everything you feel like you can do and still come up short. But you won't have regrets then.
"He's walking you through high-level sport. To be at the very top, things we go through every single day are tough and crazy sometimes.
"Not a lot of people would know we go through so many different emotions. Then it's dealing with them and being composed and we still have to perform regardless of what's going on.
"He's giving you ways to deal with that, so it helped me massively."
Gordon told BBC Sport that he has three books with him in Germany: Dan Carter's The Art of Winning and Leadership; David Goggins' Never Finished; and Life Force by scientist Tony Robbins.
On Life Force, Gordon explained: "[Manchester United goalkeeper] Tom Heaton was talking about Cristiano Ronaldo at the table the other day and said that was the book he was reading and suggested it to the United lads.
"I was earwigging and thinking: 'If Ronaldo reads it, I'm going to have a little read and see if I can pick anything out!'"
Hear the full interview in the Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds
Read more about Gordon's love of boxing, chess and psychology books
The fixtures for the new Premier League season are out and we asked you for your predictions on where Newcastle United will be after 10 games.
Here is a selection of your comments:
Harry: Depending on how the transfer window goes, I can only see us dropping a few points, maybe to Manchester City and Chelsea. I believe we'll be in the top six coming out of October.
Marcy: After 10, I can see us being top of the league. We've got an easier run than most and our team should be looking sharp. Get a couple of signings in over the summer and we'll be flying.
Peter: The first five games give us a chance to build some momentum, then Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal will provide the toughest test. But after 10, I think we will be fifth.
Trev: Couldn't wish for a better fixture list after the past couple of seasons. Big games fairly spaced out. With no Europe and hopefully improvement in injury woes of last season, we can make a really positive start. Would be looking at at least seven wins in the first 10 games to put us in a good position to build a good season.
Henry: Our first 10 fixtures look favourable. Especially playing the likes of City, Spurs and Arsenal at home. I think the transfer window is important for us. If we have a decent window and keep hold of Bruno and Isak, then there's no reason we shouldn't be in the top four positions.
Joe Nelson
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesFixture release day is always an exciting experience for supporters and, given Newcastle United started last season in fine fettle at home to Aston Villa, I expected Eddie Howe's team would be playing away from home first up in 2024-25.
However, the Magpies will now be preparing to host newly promoted Southampton in a match that could be dubbed "the Adam Armstrong derby" (or Alan Shearer - he is slightly better known!)
In 2023-24, Newcastle had Villa, Manchester City and Liverpool in the first three weeks of the season.
This time round, a trip to Howe's former club Bournemouth is their second match of the campaign, before the team head back to St James' Park for a match against Tottenham. It is worth noting that Sandro Tonali is expected to be available for this game, after serving his long ban from football.
It looks like a decent start for the Toon. It certainly presents Newcastle the chance to hit the ground running this season.
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle will get their 2024-25 season under way at home to newly promoted Southampton on Saturday, 17 August.
Eddie Howe will be hoping to keep up his good opening-game record with the club, having won the first Premier League match in both campaigns since taking charge.
It has been a long time since the Magpies most recently achieved the feat of winning their opening league match three seasons in a row. They last did so between 1982-83 and 1984-85, while the last manager to do so for them was Joe Harvey between 1972-73 and 1974-75.
Newcastle fans can be optimistic, however, with the team winning seven of their past nine top-flight matches against the Saints, including the past three in a row. The Magpies have never won four league games in a row against Southampton before.
