Newcastle United have confirmed that they signed Everton winger Anthony Gordon for an undisclosed fee.
Throughout this week, speculation has persisted that the England Under-21 international was keen to complete a transfer to St James' Park.
While his absence from Everton training was permitted on Tuesday, that was not the case on Thursday, and Gordon is said to have trained away from the senior group on Friday.
Nevertheless, negotiations remained ongoing between the relevant parties, with Everton at one stage looking to receive in the region of £50m for the academy graduate.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the two teams eventually settled on a £40m fee, with a further £5m due in add-ons at a later date.
Gordon is said to have penned a long-term contract with the North East outfit, although the exact length has not been disclosed.
Speaking to NUTV, the 21-year-old said: "Since I heard of the interest, I was always convinced Newcastle were for me.
"I think the fan base and the city really suits me as a person, the way the team are playing under the gaffer at the minute really suits me, and the club just look like they're heading in the right direction.
"I feel like it's a really big step. People haven't seen what I'm capable of yet. I think under the gaffer, and the way the club's going, I can really excel here."
Gordon arrives at Newcastle as the alternative to Chris Wood, who was allowed to sign for Nottingham Forest earlier in the January transfer window.
Despite the size of the price tag, Gordon has endured an indifferent campaign, chipping in with three goals from 16 outings in the Premier League during 2022-23.
However, Gordon played an influential role as Everton narrowly escaped relegation from the top flight last season, and he leaves the Merseyside outfit having contributed seven goals and eight assists from 78 appearances.
Gordon will hope to feature in the squad when Newcastle meet West Ham United in the Premier League on February 4. body check tags ::