He was loaned to Fulham in January. He was sold in the summer once they were in the Premier League and once he had proved to be a very important player for them.
I do not get Newcastle's logic. They would not sell to us because we are a relegation rival but are happy to sell to Fulham, a relegation rival.
Maybe after a year in the Premier League they think they are now above such things as relegation scraps. In which case they will not be at all...