For a long time, Liverpool have been actively working towards a £75m deal for Newcastle United winger, Anthony Gordon. But the Magpies are said to have now pulled out of the deal. Gordon who has been with Everton for 11 years was with Liverpool from the ages of seven to eleven and has been heavily linked with a move back to Anfield throughout this summer.
This transfer could have brought more energy and competition in Arne Slot’s squad for the next season. Gordon has both the pace and skills to edge past the defence, especially the full-backs and has been phenomenal for the Magpies in the 2023/24 season. They now hope to tie him down to a new lucrative deal.
The Transfer Saga
Gordon, 23, would have bolstered Liverpool’s left flank, a position where Luis Diaz has struggled to maintain his initial form, and Darwin Nunez has not fit perfectly. According to the Liverpool Echo, a deal worth £75m was agreed upon, which included Joe Gomez moving to Newcastle for £45m of the total.
Newcastle considered letting Gordon go due to concerns about complying with Profit & Sustainability Rules. However, they cancelled the transfer after finding alternative ways to manage their finances. They sold Elliott Anderson and Yankuba Minteh for £35m each to Nottingham Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion, respectively, at the end of June. This leaves Liverpool no option but to continue their search for players to improve the squad after they secured a third place last season.
The deal that never happened is another mystery as to whether Joe Gomez has any sort of future at Anfield. He played a vital role last season, filling in at both left-back and right-back as injuries to Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson mounted. Liverpool could attempt to freshen up their back-line with RB Leipzig full-back Mohamed Simakan.
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Liverpool’s New Targets
With the deal for Gordon falling through, Liverpool are reportedly turning their attention to Turkish star, Baris Yilmaz. According to The Telegraph, new boss, Arne Slot, offered Joe Gomez to Newcastle for £45m to meet Gordon’s valuation of £70m. Instead of moving to Anfield, Gordon will remain in Tyneside, prompting Liverpool to explore other options.
Liverpool have made an offer to sign Galatasaray striker Yilmaz, according to Turkish outlet Fotomac. The 24-year-old made 55 outings in total last term, scoring seven times and chipping in with another eight assists. Slot is willing to pay no more than £25m for the winger, while Galatasaray has priced him at £30m. Yilmaz, who prefers playing on the right-wing, could serve as a backup for Mohamed Salah but also has the versatility to play on the left.
Under Liverpool’s new structure post-Jurgen Klopp, sporting director Richard Hughes is responsible for recruitment, rather than new head coach Slot. This summer’s transfer window has been quiet for Liverpool, with just over two weeks before their first game against newly-promoted Ipswich, and they are yet to bring in a senior player.
However, they have managed to hold on to their key players from last season. According to the Liverpool Echo, Marseille’s bid of close to £12m for Wataru Endo was denied. The Japanese midfielder has been crucial since joining from VfB Stuttgart last summer and is hoping to impress Slot in the next pre-season game against Manchester United.
According to reports, Arne Slot, strongly desires a new defender after Joel Matip left the team last season. With the potential to develop young talent Jarell Quansah and fine-tune the skills of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, the need for a winger remains a top priority for Liverpool.
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