Anthony Gordon has surprisingly admitted that he hasn't been fit enough to play for Newcastle United this season following his move from Everton.
Gordon was targeted by Chelsea last summer after impressing for Everton in the previous campaign but the Toffees turned down the advances from the Blues.
The young forward was then caught in the crosshairs of the fans' protests in the early part of the season, even being barricaded in when he attempted to leave Goodison Park.
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It was no huge surprise when he decided to jump ship in January, swapping a relegation battle for the fight for Champions League football with Newcastle.
The statement from the Toffees suggested there was no love lost between player and club as he moved to the north east for £45 million.
Fans were not impressed with him on his return to the blue side of Merseyside, when he played in Newcastle's game against his former side.
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Gordon hasn't exactly set the world alight at St James' Park and only started four league games for Eddie Howe's side, finally scoring his first goal in the draw with Chelsea on the final day of the season.
And following that game the 22-year-old admitted that he wasn't actually fit enough to play in Howe's system.
"I am so happy to get the goal. You could see it in my celebration, all the emotion came out. It has been a really difficult year, not just at Newcastle, and it was good to get," Gordon said.
"It has been so difficult just because of the level I was at coming in, the lads here were so much higher. I had such an uphill battle to match them and then had the injury. It always felt like I was chasing. I feel like I had a lot to do and it was hard mentally and physically.
“Now I feel I have a big summer coming up so I put myself in a really good position for next year.
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"This summer I have got the U21 Euros so physically I am going to be so on it like never before because out there I am absolutely blowing!
"So in this team you have to be so fit. The gaffer demands so much from the players and that is something I didn’t expect and didn’t know. But I know for next year so I will be on it."
It's pretty damning to Everton that he felt like he wasn't fit enough to play for a different team despite starting 12 times for Frank Lampard before the manager was sacked.
Chelsea's all time top goalscorer has been accused of allowing standards to drop at Stamford Bridge in his second spell there and it may also be a hint that similar happened at his previous job, especially with Gordon's revelation.
Featured Image Credit: NUFC TV/AlamyTopics: Premier League, Everton, Newcastle United, Football, Anthony Gordon, Frank Lampard