Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has dropped a bombshell hint that Anthony Gordon may have already played his final game for the club, as the England winger edges closer to a summer move to Bayern Munich.

The 25-year-old has missed the Magpies' last four matches—initially sidelined by a hip flexor injury—but reports now suggest the Bundesliga giants are deep in negotiations to bring him to the Allianz Arena. When asked if Gordon's absence was partly due to planning for the future, Howe didn't hold back: "When you get to this stage of the season, part of what we will be doing will be looking to next year, naturally. Anthony's just come back from injury, and the team has played well in his absence, with a partial view to the future, yes."

Pressed for an update on the Bayern speculation, Howe remained tight-lipped: "No, nothing. No updates from me. These are discussions that potentially might be happening, but not with me."

It's a pivotal moment for Newcastle as they prepare for their penultimate Premier League match of a disappointing campaign—a home clash against relegation-threatened West Ham at St James' Park on Sunday. The decision over Gordon's involvement is complicated further by a thigh injury to Brazil international Joelinton, who had been filling in on the left flank.

Howe insists team comes first: "If it's the right thing for the team—and I put the team and the club above any individual—then I would play him, of course."

Adding to the sense of change on Tyneside, Sunday's match will also mark the final home game for veteran full-back Kieran Trippier, who is set to leave when his contract expires at season's end. With both stars potentially heading for the exit, Newcastle fans could be witnessing the end of an era—and the start of a major squad reshuffle this summer.