Anthony Gordon exclusive: Liverpool ready to offer £60m AND ‘world class’ star to seal giant Newcastle transfer
Liverpool are ready to test the waters with a cash-plus-player offer for Anthony Gordon that would see £60m and goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher head to Newcastle, TEAMtalk has learned.
Liverpool’s interest in livewire winger Gordon is genuine, though the Reds had little appetite for the deal Newcastle recently put forward.
The Magpies offered Gordon to Liverpool in a move that would have also seen centre-back Jarell Quansah and an undisclosed sum move the other way.
Liverpool and new boss Arne Slot rate Quansah highly and as such, the cash-plus-player proposal quickly fell through.
Newcastle are seeking to raise funds to solve their PSR concerns before the June 30 deadline.
Eddie Howe’s side have agreed to sell winger Yankuba Minteh to Brighton in a deal worth £33m. However, that’s not to say Gordon couldn’t be on the move at some stage in July.
Gordon is reportedly open to returning to Merseyside by joining Liverpool and TEAMtalk has been told the Reds are preparing a proposal of their own.
Liverpool prep tempting Anthony Gordon offer
We understand the Reds are prepared to bid £50m and also include back-up goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher to sweeten the deal.
Liverpool reportedly value the Republic of Ireland international in the £25m-£35m range, meaning the total cost of the bid would be worth £75m-£85m.
Between Minteh and Gordon, it’s the former Everton winger who Newcastle are by far the most determined to keep.
While Gordon was offered to Liverpool, manager Eddie Howe was not overly pleased at the prospect of losing his star wide man. The decision to offer Gordon to the Reds was made primarily for the purposes of adhering to PSR regulations.
With Minteh on the cusp of joining Brighton it remains to be seen what Newcastle’s response will be if Liverpool do thunder in with their £50m plus Kelleher bid.
Kelleher inclusion could prove pivotal
Newcastle are understood to be on the hunt for a goalkeeper to challenge Nick Pope and Kelleher shone during his 26 appearances last season.
Kelleher has never let Liverpool down when deputising for Alisson Becker and his excellent displays even prompted captain Virgil van Dijk to brand the keeper ‘world class’. Jurgen Klopp was also forthcoming with lofty praise earlier in 2024.
“We have the best goalkeeper in the world, and we have the best number two in the world,” declared Klopp in the latter stages of his reign.
