‘He couldn’t run’: Benitez claims winger Tottenham wanted has transformed

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Rafa Benitez has shared that Tottenham Hotspur transfer target, Anthony Gordon, ‘couldn’t run’ when he was Everton manager, as he told Sky Sports.

The out-of-work manager shared that the ‘quality’ was there with Gordon, but he questioned whether the now-transformed star had the ‘mentality’ to succeed.

Well, as soon as Benitez was sacked by Everton in January, he was replaced by Frank Lampard in the Goodison Park dugout.

That saw a change of mood around the club and Gordon’s form hitting the roof, including the Englishman playing a pivotal part in his boyhood club surviving relegation.

When the 2022 summer transfer window opened, Gordon saw a host of clubs in Europe vying to secure his signature, including London duo Chelsea and Tottenham.

But Everton held firm as Benitez spoke about his early concerns for Gordon, who is now a key member of Everton’s XI.

“We played a friendly in Miami in pre-season and after 50 minutes, he couldn’t run,” said Benitez. “We knew he was a player with quality on the ball, could finish, pass and had pace. 

“But he couldn’t run. We had a conversation with him after the game. It was hot, but he’s a young player. I was talking with the coaches in the academy and my assistant and they said they weren’t sure. They knew he had the talent but maybe it was his mentality.

“We spent time with him, but the main thing was to change his mentality and he was very keen to do it. He worked really hard, he improved his stamina and he got better and better because he had the potential.

“He has to improve some parts of his game, he knows that. But I’m really pleased to see him progressing because he’s a nice lad.”

GORDON HAS MADE THE RIGHT CALL

It could have been easy for Gordon to throw his toys out of the pram and demand a move away from Everton when clubs in the Champions League were looking to sign him.

But, in the end, he has made the right call to stay on Merseyside because he will develop a lot quicker and better because of the regular minutes he will earn.

That’s proven to be the case this season because every game he has been available for Lampard, he has started, scoring twice.

Now it’s just a case of pushing Everton up the table and away from danger after they picked up their first win of the season against West Ham over the weekend.