Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe sends warning to Liverpool over Anthony Gordon transfer

Eddie Howe has warned Liverpool he intends to keep Anthony Gordon at Newcastle United and says he remains an ‘integral’ part of the club’s plans.

Liverpool reportedly launched a shock move for Gordon during Euro 2024 but backed off when Newcastle asked for Jarell Quansah to be included in the deal.

Gordon emerged as a target for the Reds after enjoying a superb season at St James’ Park in which he scored 11 goals and made 10 assists in the Premier League.

The 23-year-old’s form saw him included in Gareth Southgate’s Euros squad but Gordon only got five minutes in Germany, coming on as a late substitute in the goalless draw with Slovenia.

Gordon’s lack of game-time will not be held against him, though, especially as several pundits were calling for him to start and inject some pace into the England team down the left flank.

Liverpool could yet revive their interest in Gordon as they look to secure new signings for Jurgen Klopp’s replacement Arne Slot, but Howe insists he ‘does not want to lose’ the winger.

Gordon is yet to return to Newcastle following his stint with England at Euro 2024 but Howe is ready to greet him with open arms once he re-joins the squad, who jet off to Japan next week for some pre-season friendlies.

‘I’d welcome Anthony back with three arms if I had them. He’s an integral part of what we’re doing,’ Howe said.

‘We’ve had no conversations over the summer where it has been fractious or negative. He’s always been the Anthony Gordon who has given absolutely everything to Newcastle and I want to make that clear to all our supporters. 

‘Anthony needs a bit of a break but by the time he comes back, he’ll be ready to go. He’s such an important player for us. We didn’t want to lose anybody. 

‘Why would we want to lose our best players? We fought really hard to make the right decisions but in those last few weeks it was very, very difficult.’

Why was Anthony Gordon overlooked at Euro 2024?

Competition in the England team was fierce and Gareth Southgate, who resigned following the tournament, ultimately opted to play Phil Foden on the left, while Jude Bellingham also moved across at times.

There were significant calls for Gordon to start England’s first knockout match against Slovakia after a brief but bright cameo against Slovenia.

Southgate, already inclined to pick Foden or Bellingham on the left, may have been given another reason to overlook Gordon after he fell off a bike and was left with nasty cuts ahead of the last-16 clash.

What have Newcastle done so far this summer?

Newcastle, who finished seventh in the Premier League last season, signed Lewis Hall on a permanent deal from Chelsea earlier in the summer and picked up Lloyd Kelly after his Bournemouth contract expired.

The Magpies sold Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest for an undisclosed fee and Yankuba Minteh to Brighton for £30m.

Newcastle’s most important task for the remainder of the window may be keeping Howe at St James’ Park. The 46-year-old is believed to be one of the frontunners to replace Southgate as England manager.

What has Eddie Howe said about the England job?

Responding to speculation he could be England’s next manager, Howe said last week: ‘I absolutely want to stay but it has to be right for me and the football club.

‘There’s absolutely no point in me saying I’m happy staying at Newcastle if the dynamic isn’t right. I’m certainly not serving Newcastle well if I do that.

‘So, as long as I am happy, feel supported, feel free to work in the way that I want to work, I have not thought of anything else other than Newcastle.

‘I absolutely love the club. I love the supporters. I love where I am at in my career. There is no better place for me to be.

‘There has been a lot of change at the football club this summer. It has been a very difficult summer for everyone connected with the club. With change comes always a new feeling.

‘You can point to PSR, Amanda and Mehrdad, a change in sporting director which, of course, influences me. These are all big changes. That is why I’ve made the points that I have, because this has to work for Newcastle.

‘It’s not about me as the manager. I’m slightly irrelevant. It’s about making sure Newcastle United is as strong as it can be for the next season and beyond.

‘We’ve all got to come together and make sure we are the force that we want to be. For me, it’s not about England. That is absolutely someone else’s conversation, not mine. Mine is Newcastle.

‘To speak about something else while manager of Newcastle is wrong. I don’t think I have to say the answer again. The answer is clear.’

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