-
News
- 23 minutes ago
Anthony Gordon has already told Liverpool, Arsenal why they should NOT sign him
Tom Weber
- Updated: 14 Feb 2026 16:52 GMT
- 5 min read
Analysis
Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon continues to be linked with a move to the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal.
The 24-year-old has been a talismanic figure for Newcastle since joining the club from Everton for €45.6 million in January 2023. Gordon has become an England international and a fan favourite.
Naturally, then, transfer speculation is never far away, especially because Newcastle have had trouble with financial regulations in recent years due to their hefty spending when the Public Investment Fund took over the club.
Current ETV
Anthony Gordon
F (L)
Newcastle
Anthony Gordon
F (L)
Newcastle
ETV Range
€43.6M - €53.3M
With the Magpies currently experiencing a disappointing season, Gordon is once more being linked with a move away. According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool remain interested in him, while Arsenal and Man City can't be discounted either.
The Reds tried to sign Gordon in 2024 when Newcastle were forced to sell players to avoid breaching Profitability and Sustainability Rules. A boyhood fan, the winger had his head turned and wanted the move, but the transfer fell through. Arsenal are long-standing admirers as well.
Why Gordon would struggle at Liverpool, Arsenal
Unfortunately for Gordon, the current campaign has shown why he would potentially struggle at a truly elite club like Arsenal or Liverpool - and he himself recognises this fact.
His numbers this season are respectable if unspectacular. He has scored 10 goals and provided five assists in 34 games across all competitions. However, most of his attacking output has come in the Champions League, where the 24-year-old has been on fire.
Gordon has only scored three and set up two in the Premier League this term. Ironically, his only non-penalty goal came against Liverpool, the other two - against Tottenham and Burnley - were scored from the spot.
To put it bluntly, Gordon has offered virtually nothing in league play this season. The winger is heavily reliant on his blistering pace, which he can exploit more in the Champions League, where teams are much more inclined to actually "play football" instead of sitting deep and waiting for counter-attacking opportunities.
He himself said this not long ago. “In the Champions League, teams are much more open, they all try to play,” Gordon explained in January. “It’s less transitional. In the Premier League, it’s more physical than I’ve ever known it to be.
“It’s like a basketball game sometimes, it’s so relentless physically. There’s not much control, it’s just a running game. Sometimes it’s about duels, who wins the duels wins the game, or moments.
"The Champions League is a bit more of an older style of game, it’s a bit more football-based, teams come and try and play proper football. I think in the Premier League now you’re seeing a lot more long throw-ins, set-pieces. It’s become a lot slower and a lot more set-piece based, I would say.”
Anthony Gordon in 2025/26
| Competition | Games | Goals | Assists |
| Premier League | 20 | 3 | 2 |
| Champions League | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| Carabao Cup | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| FA Cup | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Gordon, like many Newcastle players, struggles to be effective against low blocks. He has not shown that he possesses the skill set to unlock deep defences, and this would prove to be a problem at a club like Liverpool or Arsenal.
Indeed, Reds boss Arne Slot has repeatedly complained this season that Premier League teams set up in a low block and play long balls forward. It has worked to great effect against his team.
Gordon would not be a solution to this problem, and the data backs this up. According to SciSports' Career Advice tool, both Arsenal and Liverpool would be poor stylistic fits for Gordon, receiving just one out of five stars in the playing style category.
Unless the tactical landscape in the Premier League shifts radically, Gordon would likely struggle at a club like Arsenal and Liverpool.
Football transfer news headlines today
EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal target Inter Milan starlet Pio Esposito
Fabrizio Romano Transfer News: Ronaldo decision as Premier League manager chaos continues
Introducing Drogba 2.0: Is this 17-year-old star Chelsea’s next great No.9?
Cristiano Ronaldo ends Al-Nassr strike as Man Utd return message sent
The FootballTransfers app
Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.
The FootballTransfers app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Download here:
