Newcastle United’s gain is Merseyside’s loss. Anthony Gordon is one of the few players Liverpool and Everton might both regard as “one that got away”.
Gordon’s performances this season have already helped The Toon to a handily-positioned 7th place in the EPL table. Listed sites in SBS have Newcastle as fifth-favourites for the Premier League title this year, although at long odds of 80/1. You can also get odds of 50/1 on the side for the UEFA Champions League title. If Gordon’s recent efforts are anything to go by, it may also be worth checking him out on the individual betting markets.
It all began when Gordon was snapped up as an 11-year-old by the Everton Academy after being released by, you guessed it, Liverpool’s academy. The young Scouser quickly progressed through Everton’s ranks, making his first-team debut at 16 in the Europa League against Apollon Limassol in Cyprus in December 2017.
Following his substitute appearance against the Cypriots, it was two years before Gordon made his EPL debut for Everton. By the time he was loaned to Preston North End in the Championship for the latter half of the 2020/21 season, Gordon had made 19 first-team league and cup appearances for the Toffees.
Anthony Gordon arrived at 2021/22 pre-season Everton training ready to make an impact. Manager Rafael Benítez noticed the change and included the 20-year-old in Everton’s first-team squad, where he stayed for the entire season, even after Frank Lampard replaced the Spaniard at the end of January.
Gordon featured in 35 of The Toffees’ Premier League matches, scoring four times and playing an integral part in their successful battle against relegation. His teammates and the club’s supporters recognised his contribution by voting him Everton’s Young Player of the Year at the 2022 end-of-season prizegiving ceremony.
2022/23 would be a big season for Anthony Gordon. Rumours of a move to London giants Chelsea preceded the start of the season, which could easily have unsettled the young winger. Instead, he started the season in fine form, scoring Everton’s only goals in consecutive 1-1 draws with Brentford and Leeds. He would score three times in 16 appearances before Newcastle United came calling.
Gordon jumped at the chance when Toon boss Eddie Howe made it clear he wanted him. Rumours are he’d already tried to force a move away from Goodison Park by missing training before submitting a formal transfer request. When Everton accepted a Newcastle bid in the region of £39 million for him, agreeing personal terms was no more than a formality.
Although used mainly from the sub’s bench during his first season at St. James Park, Gordon did enough to justify his price tag and display his unquestionable potential. It was enough for the England Under-21 head coach, Lee Carsley as well. Carsley named the starlet in his squad for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Romania and Georgia.
Anthony Gordon scored twice during the tournament, ending with a winners’ medal as England U-21 beat Spain U-21 in the final. To cap off an exceptional first half of 2023, Gordon was awarded the Player of the Tournament award.
With the 2023/24 season in full swing, Gordon is now starting matches for Newcastle. In 11 league appearances so far, he’s found the net four times, also registering two assists. Gordon’s passion and enthusiasm on the field have lead to the odd moment of impetuousness and over-exuberance, resulting in six yellow cards. He is only 22 though, so there’s plenty of time to work on that area.
With Anthony Gordon’s immense scope for improvement, coupled with the experience he’s gaining at a young age, the price Newcastle paid for him seems like a steal. As each month passes, Everton will likely regret accepting the price they did for their promising left-winger a little more.
