Bayern Munich Pursues Anthony Gordon with Nubel in the Deal

Bayern Munich have identified Anthony Gordon as a priority attacking signing – but they do not have the cash on hand to simply meet Newcastle United’s price and walk away with one of the Premier League’s most dynamic wide forwards.

So they are trying to get creative.

According to Bild, the German champions want to drive down the immediate outlay by sending Alexander Nubel the other way as part of a package. With Newcastle braced for Nick Pope’s departure and actively scouring the market for a new No 1, the 27‑year‑old German has suddenly become more than just a surplus asset in Bavaria. He is leverage.

Nubel squeezed out in Munich

On paper, Nubel returns to Bayern this summer in a strong position. His loan at Stuttgart has ended, he is tied to the Allianz Arena until June 2030, and he has just come off a season that restored his reputation.

In reality, the door is closed.

Bayern have nailed down their goalkeeping hierarchy around Manuel Neuer, Jonas Urbig and Sven Ulreich, leaving no room for Nubel in Thomas Tuchel’s plans. Sporting director Christoph Freund did not bother to dress it up.

“We've had discussions with his management and Alex is also aware of our plans. We're heading into next season with this trio of goalkeepers; that's the plan,” Freund said, laying out the club’s stance with brutal clarity.

For Bayern, that makes Nubel expendable. For Newcastle, it makes him interesting.

St James’ Park officials know they are heading towards a decisive moment with Pope and have already turned their attention to the next phase in goal. A German international, in his prime, available as part of a deal for a player they might be forced to cash in on anyway? That is at least worth a meeting.

Bayern’s attacking intent

The push for Gordon fits neatly with Bayern’s broader recruitment message in attack.

Sporting director Max Eberl has already signposted that the club will move for a forward if the numbers add up. Speaking at a Bild event before Bayern’s DFB Cup final win over Stuttgart in Berlin, he made the strategy plain.

“We agree that we will sign an attacking player if he is affordable,” Eberl said. “We had a very good discussion and hope that we can make progress.”

Gordon ticks all the boxes: pace, pressing, end product, and room to grow. The problem is the price. Newcastle know exactly what they have and are under no pressure to sell cheaply, even with Premier League financial regulations looming in the background.

That is where Nubel’s inclusion becomes more than a throw‑in. It is the mechanism that could unlock a deal Bayern otherwise struggle to fund.

World Cup clock slows the deal

For now, though, the whole operation is stuck in tournament traffic.

Nubel is away with Germany at the World Cup in North America, his focus fixed on national-team duty rather than contract clauses. Newcastle, meanwhile, are doing what smart clubs do: running parallel tracks.

While they weigh up Bayern’s proposal, they are also assessing younger options such as Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser, testing the market before committing to any one path. Eddie Howe wants an immediate, top-level upgrade in goal, not just a makeweight who happens to solve someone else’s problem.

That leaves Tyneside with a stark choice.

Accept a package built around a keeper Bayern no longer want and wave goodbye to Gordon’s electricity on the left flank? Or hold firm, chase their own ideal No 1, and dare Bayern to find another way to pay for a player they clearly covet?

The answer to that question will say plenty about the direction of both clubs in the next phase of this window.