Eddie Howe discusses Anthony Gordon 'commitment' after failed Liverpool transfer attempt
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has discussed Anthony Gordon's "commitment" after Liverpool's failed transfer attempt.
The Reds appeared close to signing the 23-year-old winger at the start of the summer after he was offered up by the Magpies as they looked to comply with Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) rules, yet player sales elsewhere ensured he could remain at St. James' Park beyond the end of the transfer window.
Gordon has since featured in all four of Newcastle's Premier League fixtures this season and grabbed the equalizer in August's 1-1 draw away to Bournemouth to salvage his side a point late on. The former Everton star also came close to adding to his tally with an effort that struck the post in Sunday's 2-1 victory over Wolves.
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There were also impressive performances for England in its Nations League victories over the Republic of Ireland and Finland during the September international break, further highlighting how Gordon has not taken his eye off the ball despite a potential move to boyhood club Liverpool that broke down during the summer.
And those showings have impressed his Newcastle manager more than anyone, with Howe crediting his player's commitment to the team - as well as his own dreams and future ambitions - ever since, hinting at his current loyalty to the club.
“I wouldn’t say to raise his spirits but of course I spoke with him and we had many conversations over the summer,” Howe said ahead of Sunday's victory over Wolves. “I think it’s re-aligning thought processes, it’s being positive about the next stage of your career.
“Sometimes you can have a hangover from something negative, not that Anthony was in that position, but it’s always about your next challenge, moment and how you’re going to start the season and take all of the momentum that he built last season into this one.
“This is a big season for him in his career. You don’t get many second chances in your career, the years go so quickly and I can vouch for that, so he’s still young and developing but he needs to maximize every moment. He is the type of character that wants to do that. He’s very committed to his next dream and aim and that’s to have a great season with us.”
From what Howe said, it appears Gordon has resigned to the fact he will remain a Newcastle player for at least one more season, before potentially seeing both the Magpies and Liverpool revisit negotiations over a proposed transfer next summer.
Nonetheless, the winger's sole focus is to hit top form with the Magpies in order to help preserve his place in the national team, where he hopes to become one of Lee Carsley's first names on the teamsheet for the remainder of the Nations League campaign, at least.
Gordon is yet to truly rediscover the form that earned him Newcastle's Player of the Season award for 2023-24 and a place in Gareth Southgate's England squad for Euro 2024, but it's expected it won't take long before he starts finding the back of the net on a regular basis once more.