Anthony Gordon to Liverpool would give Everton major boost as transfer clause confirmed

Cash-strapped Everton would be set for a financial windfall if their former winger Anthony Gordon made a sensational transfer return to his home city and joined Liverpool.

The ECHO understands that Newcastle United were ready to sell Gordon to Liverpool as the Magpies strive to comply with PSR but although talks broke down, there is a small chance of revival. Jarell Quansah was part of package discussed but the Reds do not want to lose him.

The ownership issue of the Blues remains unresolved, with the Friedkin Group currently in a period of exclusivity with Farhad Moshiri after the wantaway majority shareholder spent eight-and-a-half months last season trying to sell his entire 94.1% stake in the club to controversial Miami-based private investment firm 777 Partners only for the deal to fall through. Also, in his programme notes for the final home game of last season against Sheffield United, director of football Kevin Thelwell admitted: “Given the regulations in place and the club’s current financial position, we have to trade well. Working within such tight financial parameters makes the job extremely difficult,” adding: “players will be sold,” but so far, only fringe squad members Lewis Dobbin and Ben Godfrey have headed through the exit door.

It’s been over 22 years since Abel Xavier became the last player to directly cross Stanley Park when he followed Nick Barmby from Goodison Park to Anfield barely 18 months after the England international had completed his controversial switch with Bill Kenwright proclaiming: “He had used six of the worst words in the English language as far as Everton fans are concerned - “I want to play for Liverpool.’”

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Since then, the Blues have taken ex-Reds Sander Westeveld and Conor Coady on loan while in 2021, Moshiri enraged many Evertonians when he appointed former Kop Idol Rafael Benitez as manager in what proved to be a short but not-so-sweet reign for the Spaniard who had once branded Everton “a small club” when he was Liverpool boss. Becoming the first Newcastle United player to score 10 goals and provide 10 assists in a season since Ruel Fox in 1994/95, Gordon has been named the Magpies' Player of the Year and having been named Player of the Tournament at last summer’s UEFA European Under-21 Championship, he is in Gareth Southgate’s squad currently competing in the senior European Championships in Germany where he’s had a brief cameo as an 89th minute substitute in England’s goalless draw against Slovenia in their final group game but caught the eye for the facial injuries he’s picked up after being “thrown 10 feet in the air” when falling off an electric bike.

Kirkdale-born Gordon made an acrimonious exit from Everton at the end of last year's January transfer window with the club issuing a terse 59-word acknowledgement, bereft of any thank you messages or offerings of good luck, to confirm his departure. The statement read: “Anthony Gordon has joined Newcastle United for an undisclosed fee.

“The 21-year-old forward leaves Everton after having submitted a formal transfer request.

“Gordon joined the club’s academy at the age of 11 and made his senior debut as a 16-year-old in a Europa League tie in December 2017. He went on to make 78 first-team appearances, scoring seven goals.”

However, while there appeared to be little room for sentiment from Goodison Park chiefs after Gordon was absent from Finch Farm training sessions in his final week at the club, the ECHO understands that Everton do have a sell-on clause so they would be in line to receive a significant financial bonus where he to complete a big money move to Liverpool or anyone else for that matter.

Gary Ablett won the FA Cup with both clubs having moved directly from Liverpool to Everton in 1992 while fellow Scouser David Johnson also went from Anfield to Goodison in 1982 having started his career with the Blues before going to the Reds via Ipswich Town. Halewood-born Steve McMahon captained both clubs with a spell at Aston Villa in between.

Despite his hard man reputation on the pitch, McMahon acknowledged that Liverpool wanted to take him from Everton in 1983 but he thought it would be a safer choice to go to the West Midlands instead, refuting claims that he was motivated by money as he could have earned more by crossing Stanley Park at the time.

Although Gordon joined Everton as an 11-year-old, he was a boyhood Kopite and when speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap, he admitted: “Steven Gerrard was my football hero growing up. Coming from Liverpool, he was like a God in Liverpool, and he was an unbelievable player.”