ANTHONY GORDON: LIVERPOOL TRANSFER HOPES IGNITE AS FABRIZIO ROMANO SHEDS HUGE NEW LIGHT ON NEWCASTLE EXIT PLAN
Liverpool remain firmly in the hunt to sign Anthony Gordon this summer despite failing to convince Newcastle to sell before Sunday’s PSR deadline – and a significant update from Fabrizio Romano confirms their chances of a deal are not over yet.
The England winger is currently ensconsed in the Three Lions’ training camp at the GolfResort Weimarer Land in Blankenhain, east Germany, where he is hoping to catch Gareth Southgate’s eye and force his way into the side for Saturday’s Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland. Gordon has, so far, only managed an 89th-minute substitute appearance in the final Group C game against Slovenia – much to Newcastle supporters and those close to Gordon’s frustrations.
With the England side stumbling through to the last eight, legendary Magpies striker Alan Shearer is demanding Gordon be added to the side on Saturday as one of three major changes to the line-up.
But whether Southgate selects him or not, remains debatable, with the Three Lions coach showing an ugly stubbornness to alter his side and with the benching of Gordon given more fuel amid strong speculation over his future back home.
Indeed, with Newcastle needing to raise funds before the end of June to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), Gordon was a player the Magpies were seemingly open to selling in order to ensure they did not face a potential points penalty.
As a result, talks over a lucrative move to Liverpool for Gordon were held by Newcastle, though the Magpies’ valuation of the star, together with their asking of Jarell Quansah in return meant the talks never really gathered much pace.
Liverpool transfers: Anthony Gordon hopes still alive
Ultimaely, Newcastle ended up selling teenager winger Yankuba Minteh (£30m) to Brighton and homegrown midfield talent Elliott Anderson (£35m) to Nottingham Forest instead, ensuring the sale of Gordon did not need to take place.
However, TEAMtalk exclusively revealed on Monday that a deal to take Gordon to Liverpool still very much remains possible this summer with the player keen on a move back to Merseyside.
Gordon previously played for Everton before securing a £45m move to St James’ Park in a January 2023, where he has been in situ for the previous 18 months.
But having supported the Reds as a boy and having actually started out in their academy before transferring to the blue half of Merseyside at the age of 11, the lure of returning to Anfield runs deep with the player – and TEAMtalk revealed on Monday that the idea of playing for Liverpool is a prospect that very much excites him.
Indeed, Gordon was kept very much in the loop over the talks, having greenlighted a potential move had a fee been agreed.
And while the talks never really got off the ground at this moment in time, new Reds boss Arne Slot is still looking to sign the winger this summer and remains a huge admirer of his talents.
Newcastle value the player at around £80m after a brilliant season on Tyneside saw him score 12 times and add 11 assists from 48 appearances, form which earned him their Player of the Season gong.
As a result, Newcastle do not want to lose one of their star men and, having starved off the immediate threat of a points deduction, will likely now fight hard to retain the player’s services.
Fabrizio Romano drops major bombshell on Anthony Gordon transfer
However, while we understand that Gordon remains happy at St James’, the chance to join Liverpool is not an opportunity he would not knock back and an update from Romano has confirmed Newcastle’s worst fears in that the player would love to make the move if the opportunity presented itself.
Describing Gordon as “over the moon” at the links to his hometown club, Romano has told the Daily Briefing of the barriers that prevented the initial move from going through before Sunday.
EURO PAPER TALK Liverpool explode into lead for Germany midfielder as Slot picks Alisson heir
“What I’m told is the deal was never really close between Liverpool and Newcastle,” Romano said. “They [Liverpool and Newcastle] had a conversation. They had an exchange about the possibility, but the price tag was way too high for Liverpool to make things happen.
“A swap deal was also really complicated as Liverpool didn’t want to lose some of their best players. So, it was an idea, it was a conversation but it was never something really close.
“The player was over the moon – the player was keen on joining Liverpool. But at the end between the two clubs, like Alexander Isak with Chelsea, it was never something really concrete.”
TEAMtalk understands that Liverpool could yet look to try and tempt Newcastle by offering them an alternative, which we understood to have included Caiomhin Kelleher at one point during those discussions.
And while Newcastle rejected that proposal, Liverpool could come again with an alternative suggestion to try and talk them into a move.
Gordon is contracted to St James’ Park until summer 2026.
2024-07-02T09:16:15Z dg43tfdfdgfd