Anthony Gordon shares truth about failed Liverpool transfer he thought would happen

Anthony Gordon has admitted that he thought he would join Liverpool last summer, only for the proposed move to fall through. The former Everton winger emerged as a target for the Reds, who were eager to bring him back to Merseyside. They explored the conditions of a move in the knowledge that Newcastle were sweating over their compliance with Premier League financial rules.

Liverpool ended up agreeing a £75m transfer fee, while Joe Gomez was supposed to move the other way in a separate £45m deal. However, those in power at Newcastle pulled the plug after managing to raise enough funds to stay within the rules. Gordon later signed a new contract at St James' Park but the saga took a toll on his mental wellbeing.

"It was difficult for me because one, I had the Euros, which was horrendous for me mentally," the England international told the Daily Mail.

"I was there but I wasn't playing. Then I had the transfer stuff. With PSR [profit and sustainability rules], I thought I was going to leave at some point in the window. It didn't happen.

"I had to get my head around that [idea of joining Liverpool] to begin with, and then to get my head around it again [when it didn't happen] was hard. I'm a human being. It's really difficult."

Gordon's own experiences have helped him empathise with Alexander Isak, who is angling for a move to Anfield this summer. Newcastle have already turned down a whopping £110m bid and Liverpool are not expected to follow up with another offer.

"That is why I understand what Alex is going through," said Gordon. "I feel for him. He will be going through a lot. The club is going through a lot. I hope everyone gets what they want in the end."

Gordon is happy that he is no longer the focus of transfer speculation, admitting that it has made life difficult for him in recent seasons.

"The last three years have been quite mentally draining for me," he added. "Football became like a chore. There was always so much noise around me, there were so many games and I never had a summer off.

"After the under-21 Euros [in 2023], I had four days off. Last summer, I had just over a week off, plus all the noise. At times last year, I always felt negative, physically drained, mentally drained. I don't feel like that now.

"I've had a full summer off, five or six weeks, with my family and friends. You can see that I'm really refreshed. I've got my appetite back for football. I feel that. I didn't have that last year."

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