Anthony Gordon has claimed he never intended to ‘disrespect Everton’ by forcing a move to Newcastle.
Gordon’s initial £40 million switch to St James’ Park was confirmed on Sunday afternoon as the Blues revealed he had submitted a formal transfer request.
The 21-year-old winger missed three consecutive days of training at Finch Farm prior to sealing an eight-figure transfer to the Magpies earlier this week.
But speaking after joining Eddie Howe’s side, Gordon broke his silence on the unedifying events which led up to an eventual departure from Goodison Park.
He said: “It was a really difficult decision and it’s been a really tough week for me.
“I’ve been at Everton for my whole footballing career so far, so it’s been difficult, but this is an opportunity that I couldn’t really miss out on.
“I didn’t mean to disrespect or offend anyone at Everton, and I’m hoping they know that and hopefully they can reinvest the money now and stay in the Premier League.
“I never imagined it or wanted it to go like that, that’s why it’s been such a tough week for me.
“But I just couldn’t miss out on this opportunity and they got a lot of money for me, so I’m hoping they can reinvest it into the squad.”