Anthony Gordon has opened up on nearly joining Liverpool from Newcastle United last summer and the future of his team-mate, Alexander Isak, amid his own transfer saga involving the Reds
Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak
Anthony Gordon has admitted he thought he would be leaving Newcastle United to sign for Liverpool last summer as he reacted to the uncertainty regarding Alexander Isak’s future. The striker has told the Magpies he wants to leave the club this summer, with the Reds the favourites for his signature.
Liverpool had previously looked to sign Gordon from Newcastle last summer when the Magpies found their hands tied in order to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.
A £75m deal for the England international was agreed between the two clubs, while Joe Gomez would have moved the other way in a separate £45m move.
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However, Newcastle pulled the plug after managing to raise funds elsewhere in order to comply with PSR.
Consequently, Gordon and Gomez both stayed put at Anfield and St. James’ Park respectively – and so too did Luis Diaz at Liverpool. The Newcastle forward – who is a boyhood Reds supporter – would likely have been brought in to replace the Colombian, who first asked to leave Anfield last summer prior to his switch to Bayern Munich earlier this week.
Gordon is relieved to not be at the centre of transfer speculation this summer. Though he sympathises with his team-mate, Isak, following his own experience last year.
“What I can say, is that it’s been an absolute pleasure to be out the transfer speculation for a summer!” he told the ECHO’s sister site, the Chronicle. “It’s the first time in about three years! It’s been so easy, so mentally refreshing.
“It’s really difficult. That is why I understand what Alex is going through at the moment.
“For Alex, I feel for him too. It’s difficult. People forget you’re a human-being in that scenario.
“He will be going through a lot. The club is going through a lot. I hope everyone gets what they want in the end.
“It’s difficult for us, because there’s only so much we can actually do. We don’t actually know a lot.
“People always think players know the ins and outs, and the reality is we don’t. You guys (journalists) tell us most of the time!
“Listen, it’s just noise; there’s not much we can do. That’s a question for the manager, because I think he probably feels it more, or for people higher up at the club.
“As players, you just have to play. Do what is required of us and do the basics.”
While Isak looks increasingly likely to move on, Gordon insists he is committed to Newcastle.
“No, no! Keep me out of it!” he said. “The last three years have been quite mentally draining for me.
“Football became like a chore – there was always so much noise around me.
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m not linked to any clubs and I’m very happy where I am. I’m enjoying my football again and I feel refreshed.
“I feel like I’ve got that hunger and that bite back that makes me a good player. I didn’t have that last year, and that was because of the drainage of three years of constantly playing games, noise around me.
“I had no rest. No summers. After the 21s Euros I had four days off in 2023. Last summer, I had just over a week off (after the Euros) plus all the noise.”
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Meanwhile, Gordon admitted that Eddie Howe and his backroom staff had to work really hard to get the forward ‘back in the building’ after seeing a move to Liverpool collapse and a bit-part role for England at Euro 2024.
“Yes, that was the case. I would never lie,” he said. “It was difficult for me because one, I had the Euros, which was horrendous for me mentally. I was there, I wasn’t playing.
“Then I had the transfer stuff. With PSR, I thought I was going to leave at some point in the window.
“It didn’t happen. I had to get my head around that to begin with, and then to get my head around it again was hard. I’m a human-being.
“It’s really difficult. That is why I understand what Alex is going through at the moment.”