Newcastle United may be backing away from signing Everton’s Anthony Gordon unless their £60m asking price is lowered.
According to The Telegraph, Newcastle are unwilling to meet Everton’s demands for the young forward as they hold out for the £60m fee that they almost received from Chelsea last summer.
Gordon had a breakthrough season with Everton last term, scoring 3 goals that helped Everton stay up in just 16 league appearances that term.
His performances last year caught the attention of several clubs in the summer, including Chelsea, who were in for Gordon at £60m in the summer.
The ‘phenomenal’ player is said to be desperate to join Newcastle, but, as ever, the Magpies aren’t keen to overpay.
The Tyneside club are in the market for a new forward, but the high asking price for Gordon may prove to be too steep. Eddie Howe has expressed his frustration with the high prices in the transfer market on numerous occasions, and it seems as though the club may be looking for a more cost-effective option.
One alternative that has been mentioned by numerous outlets is Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech. The Moroccan international has struggled to make an impact at Chelsea since arriving and is likely to be available for a lower price than Gordon.
Ziyech’s ability to play all across the frontline would certainly give Newcastle United more options in attack and his experience playing at the highest level of football, including in the Champions League and the World Cup semi-finals, would give Newcastle a new element of valuable experience.
It remains to be seen whether or not Everton will budge on their asking price for Gordon, but you can understand why the Toffees are reluctant to let him go at this juncture. After all, they’re in the market for a new manager, and it’s hard to imagine that any prospective gaffer will want to join a club that is in the process of selling their star player.
Keep an eye on this one as we enter the final days of the window.
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