Liverpool remain interested in Anthony Gordon with PSG circling too
Anthony Gordon injured his chin when falling off an electric bike this week. Photograph: Dave Shopland/Shutterstock
Liverpool remain interested in signing Anthony Gordon despite talks over a deal for the Newcastle winger breaking down this week.
Newcastle, who have also received inquires from Chelsea about the Sweden striker Alexander Isak, have considerations around the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability regulations (PSR) to take into account this summer. They did not dismiss an approach from Liverpool over Gordon but discussions broke down when it became clear the 21-year-old defender Jarell Quansah would not be offered in part exchange. Gordon is also thought to be on Paris Saint-Germain’s shortlist.
Although talks over Gordon did not lead to an offer, it is understood there is still a chance of Liverpool moving for him this weekend. There has already been plenty of activity before the Premier League’s accounting deadline on Sunday.
There will be alarm on Tyneside at suggestions that Newcastle are open to selling their star players. Gordon, who is representing England at Euro 2024, has been a major success since joining from Everton for £45m in January 2023. His value is likely to have significantly grown in the past 18 months.
Newcastle want to keep the Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimarães, who has been linked with Arsenal and Manchester City, and their asking price of more than £100m for Isak is likely to be too high for Chelsea. Isak is an ambitious target for Chelsea as they look to bring in a forward. Hopes that Isak will move to Stamford Bridge are not high but Chelsea have looked at capitalising on Newcastle’s situation.
Chelsea, who have completed the signing of the Aston Villa forward Omari Kellyman, could offer players in exchange for Isak.
Newcastle are attempting to engineer a complex transfer exchange with Nottingham Forest that would see Sweden’s Anthony Elanga head to Tyneside and either Yankuba Minteh or Elliot Anderson move to the Midlands.
While Newcastle executives are anxious to sell at least one player before Monday to remain on the right side of PSR, the ending of the current three year PSR cycle at midnight on Sunday leaves them free to make purchases amortised over multi-year deals.
Top-tier clubs are permitted to lose a maximum of £105m over three seasons and Newcastle are believed to be rather too close to that sum for comfort. It dictates their willingness to part with Minteh, despite the 19-year-old Gambia winger impressing on loan at Feyenoord last season and having barely set foot inside St James’ Park since signing from Odense for £6.5m last summer.
Minteh, who has been offered to assorted club and rejected a move to Lyon in the past few days, is valued at £40m by Newcastle but there is an acceptance he will almost certainly leave for less now.
Anderson is a homegrown midfielder much admired by Forest’s manager, Nuno Espírito Santo, but he is understood to have little desire to leave Tyneside and Eddie Howe, Newcastle’s manager, ideally wants him in his squad.
Forest were docked four points in March for PSR breaches but believe they are well on course towards balancing the books this summer, particularly if Elanga is reluctantly offloaded. The 22-year-old former Manchester United winger has impressed enormously in recent matches against Newcastle.
Howe would welcome Elanga’s versatility and ability to play across the front three at a moment when he has become frustrated to see his room for transfer market manoeuvre restricted by PSR.
Meanwhile, West Ham have approached Metz about signing the Georgia striker Georges Mikautadze. The attacker has helped his country reach the last 16 of the Euros by scoring three goals in three games. West Ham, who have also targeted Lille’s Jonathan David, have not had a bid accepted by Metz. The London Stadium club are monitoring the Lyon defender Jake O’Brien.