Newcastle nail down £100m deal after Liverpool record transfer failure as Mourinho accepts the truth

There was a time when Newcastle seemed to make a lot more sense than Jose Mourinho. But that time is not 2025. While “Little Magpie” can claim Geordie honorary status through his association with Sir Bobby Robson, he will no longer be a settler in that relationship.

Newcastle have stepped up those perennial links with one of the managerial arrangements. Eddie Howe has personally visited them at St James’ Park with the trophy and considerable influence. Essentially choosing his successor as sports director.

It was merely a confirmation of what had already been revealed for a long time. Mourinho’s stock has plummeted and box office returns are next to none. Newcastle are on the opposite trajectory, at least on the continent.

He has now scored more goals in three Champions League games this season than in eight in the Premier League. If staying between Brentford and Fulham in the table It’s an odd experiment, with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid sandwiched between fillings that should make things more flexible.

Benfica were the better side – or at least the most threatening – for the first half hour. Dan Byrne’s crushing weakness against the big Diagus was entirely to the delight of Dodi Leukbakio, but try as he might the former Watford forward could not make his chances count.

Lukebakio was a first-half threat, testing Pope and then the structural integrity of the post with a fine curling effort as Newcastle began to lose control. He was barely a sideline after the break, a moment summed up when Anthony Gordon was sent into a frenzy as he swung into the center circle.

It was a great 85 minutes of pure, unadulterated, unadulterated Gordon. He scored and assisted, all round, and possibly made Mourinho regret he hadn’t arrived a few decades earlier when the Portuguese had unlimited budgets and bridges.

Squint hard enough and you can see Damian Duff anywhere in there.

No player on either side had more shots, nor were they thwarted more often. Only Enzo Berencchia made more tackles but he was Benfica’s equivalent of an umbrella in a monsoon.

Nick Waltmead, Jacob Murphy and later Harvey Barnes formed a particularly strong support act.

Dental problems are obvious and natural Newcastle’s new centre-forward is a striking contrast Great hold-up play, nimble flicks and a crowd-watching technique that is more complex than his running style.

Murphy, once again back in the starting lineup, restored balance. And Barnes showed a level of confidence from Newcastle, which should soon translate to their home form.

But Gordon was the star. It was a neat move that gave Newcastle the lead, its energy that lifted them, its falling depth that Benfica struggled to counter.

Seconds after confusion on Tyneside indicated whether Szymon Marciniak had awarded a penalty or a goal kick after Gordon went under a Benfica challenge in the area, the forward lifted himself onto a majestic volleyed touch before playing Barnes to make it 3-0.

In this mode, Gordon Howe’s Newcastle is a vital asset.

It was recently reported that contained within the contract that Liverpool signed nearly a year ago, a release clause ‘at a similar level’ to the fine print of $100 million that was once inactive in Bruno Gomaris’ contract. At least that’s what this team is worth.

And Mourinho, who was one of the first to congratulate Gordon on his man-of-the-match display when the final whistle ended a miserable evening for Benfica, surely knows.