Liverpool may not have spent any cash on new signings yet this summer window but that doesn’t mean they haven’t been in negotiations to get something over the line. In fact, the Reds were reportedly in talks over a significant move back in June.
The link between Liverpool and Anthony Gordon has been one of the most discussed topics of the summer, with multiple reports highlighting what went wrong in what was a ‘dream move’ for the boyhood Reds fan. Liverpool reportedly did not meet the asking price set by Newcastle, which is why the deal collapsed, but new information has since emerged on what happened between the two Premier League clubs.
According to Mailsport, the Reds did indeed refuse to pay the initial £100 million price tag set for Gordon, which triggered the Magpies to enquire about Jarell Quansah being included in the deal. After Liverpool rejected the involvement of the 21-year-old, Newcastle chief executive Darren Eales proposed to sell Gordon for £75 million, if the Magpies were able to purchase Joe Gomez for £45 million.
This was something those in the Anfield camp had entertained, as talks had reportedly reached ‘promising’ stages and a medical was even planned for both players in Leipzig. Gomez and Gordon were out in Germany at the time with England for Euro 2024. Their international teammates reportedly noted that Gordon’s ‘head was turned’ at the idea of moving back to Merseyside, while Gomez was ‘happy’ over the chance of securing a regular starting spot in his favoured position at centre-back.
Gomez had spent the majority of the 2023/24 season operating at either right-back or left-back to cover for the significant injury blows Liverpool had endured. While his versatility was a life-saver for the Reds, Gomez’s preference is to play centrally but he has had limited time alongside Virgil van Dijk, with both Ibrahima Konaté and Quansah to compete with.
While both Gomez and Gordon seemed to be excited about their switches and both clubs reportedly pushing forward, the deal was called off in the eleventh hour. Newcastle were eager to finalise sales ahead of the PSR deadline on June 30th, so they pushed through the exits of Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson instead. The duo joined Brighton and Nottingham Forest respectively for £30 million and £35 million, just shy of what they wanted for the sale of Gordon, without spending further cash on Gomez.
As a result of landing the combined £65 million, the deal for both England stars was called off at the very final hurdle. There is still interest in Gomez this summer from other clubs, including Saudi Pro League sides. Whether Liverpool will revisit an exit for their reliable defender remains to be seen.
