The former co-owner of one club has admitted that she was terrified at the prospect of losing a player who Liverpool have been pursuing this summer.
Amanda Staveley – who sold her minority shahreholding in Newcastle United earlier this month – gave an extensive interview to The Athletic in which she reflected on a frantic end to June as the Magpies fought to avoid breaching PSR rules and duly incurring a points penalty.
It was around that time that the Reds had approached the Tyneside outfit for Anthony Gordon, who was keen on a move to Anfield, only for LFC’s proposal to fall short of the Geordies’ expectations.
The 51-year-old reflected: “My biggest concern was that we’d lose Alex [Isak] or Anthony because Liverpool chased him, and both are extraordinary players. Negotiating is tough because you have to pretend it means nothing to you when it means everything.”
At one point in late June, it had appeared as though Liverpool stood a strong chance of signing Gordon because of Newcastle’s PSR concerns, although those were allayed by the £60m double departure of Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson.
While the Magpies managed to weather that particular storm, Merseyside interest in the 23-year-old hasn’t waned (Fabrizio Romano), so it’s not unthinkable that the Reds could return with an improved offer for the England international in the final month of the summer transfer window.
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There’s an argument to be made that, while the former Everton winger might be the right man for LFC in many ways, it’d be in the wrong position in terms of where Arne Slot’s squad could do with bolstering.
Signing Gordon would leave him competing with Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo for a place on the left flank, whereas Mo Salah has no natural right-sided backup in the senior squad other than Ben Doak, who’s been touted with a possible loan exit in the coming weeks.
Then again, if the Liverpool hiearchy are adamant that the Newcastle forward is just who they need to take their attack to the next level, and they feel that they can tempt him into the move, there could possibly be another offer making its way to St James’ Park before the end of August.
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