Jurgen Klopp is not the only man who may be on the verge of a high-profile departure from Premier League giants Liverpool.
HITC understands that Saudi Arabian interest in Mohamed Salah remains, one year after Al-Ittihad stumped up that eye-watering £150 million bid.
If Salah was tempted by a move to the Middle East nearly 12 months back, then even his most loyal Liverpool subjects would probably be understanding if their ‘Egyptian King’ felt that this was the most natural time to ride off into the sunset, as the Klopp era ends and a new one – presumably under the watchful eye of Arne Slot – begins.
Furthermore, despite their well-publicised financial issues, speculation linking Barcelona with a swoop for Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez continue to snowball.
As such, Slot’s first summer in the Anfield dugout may coincide with Liverpool’s pursuit of a new forward or two. HITC understands that the Merseyside giants are admirers of Crysencio Summerville – Slot’s fellow Dutchman – as well as Athletic Bilbao speed machine Nico Williams.
Liverpool’s loss is Newcastle United’s gain with Anthony Gordon
The Anthony Gordon ship, however, may have sailed long ago.
Few players in the entire Premier League seem better suited to that Liverpool shirt; intense, energetic, increasingly ruthless and a confirmed admirer of Salah and Steven Gerrard despite his Everton past (The Overlap).
But while Newcastle United may find themselves under pressure to cash in on an Alexander Isak or a Bruno Guimaraes due to those FFP concerns, did that chapter close for Liverpool when those on the blue side of Stanley Park beat their neighbours to his signature as a precocious teenager a decade ago?
“Anthony was my last signing at Everton. He was a boy we looked at a few times, as did Liverpool,” Neil Dewsnip, who worked in The Toffees’ academy for 17 years, tells BBC Sport.
“He was a little bit of a late developer. Physically immature. (But) we could see he had potential. The academy did well to stick with him. It was about being patient and keeping him in the system. In the past, players like Anthony might have been left behind but, as he got stronger, he came into his own.
“He was always very single-minded even back then. He knew what he wanted and what he needed.”
Everton’s patience certainly paid off, even if the nature of Gordon’s eventual £40 million move to Newcastle United left a sour taste in the mouths of those supporters suffering deja vu, two decades on from Wayne Rooney’s Old Trafford defection.
Now blossoming into one of the Premier League’s most effective attackers at Newcastle, the Daily Star report that it would take an offer of around £100 million to convince The Magpies to cash in, FFP fears or no FFP fears.
Newcastle want £100m for England star
“I watched his progress from a distance,” Dewsnip adds. “I watched him play for the (England) Under 21s. He was on one side and (now Chelsea talisman) Cole Palmer was on the other. I thought; ‘my God, wow!’”
“He’s done exceedingly well. His ability to run with the ball was always clear. He could get you from your penalty area when defending to the opponents’ area incredibly quickly. (Gordon) is also really talented in one-v-one situations.
“The next three or four years could be very exciting for Anthony. He’s got talent people are desperate for: he can score goals and create goals. When you get older and more mature physically, you’re able to do those things more often.
“Maybe that’s what we are starting to see.”
Gordon, one of only four players to reach double figures for both goals and assists in this Premier League campaign alongside Ollie Watkins, Palmer and the aforementioned Salah, has played his way into Gareth Southgate’s plans for England’s European Championship campaign in Germany.
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