Anthony Gordon Stats: The numbers behind Liverpool target's breakout season
If reports are to be believed, Liverpool were close to a deal to sign Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon at the end of June, with defender Joe Gomez set to move the other way. At that time, the Magpies were struggling to meet the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules, but any potential deal was then shelved after the sales of Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh.
Despite that, the Reds are said to remain interested in Gordon, and with just over three weeks remaining in the summer window, a swift return to Merseyside could still be on the cards for the England international, who spent much of the summer with the Three Lions at Euro 2024.
Liverpool are weighing up a move for Gordon to take over the reins on the left flank. While it's a role currently occupied by Luis Diaz, the Colombian's inconsistency in the final third has left some pondering whether to move on from the former Porto man and bring Gordon to Anfield.
Newly-appointed head coach Arne Slot wants his players to work hard off the ball, particularly in the final third to force turnovers in dangerous positions. His Feyenoord side last season won possession in the attacking third more times (229) than any other team in the Eredivisie, while winger Yankuba Minteh, now of Brighton, ranked third for tackles per 90 (2.8) of all players for the Dutch giants.
With Slot expected to implement a 4-2-3-1 setup at Anfield this season, he'll want a similar approach from his forwards as Liverpool look to press opponents high up the pitch as a way of creating chances. Gordon, then, suits this style. He won possession in the attacking third 28 times in the Premier League last term, that ranking 17th, and averaged a respectable 1.7 tackles per 90.
By comparison, Diaz won possession in the attacking third 24 times and finished the campaign with 1.2 tackles per 90 to his name. It's not a huge difference, but a metric that Gordon trumps Diaz in. In addition, it's the latter who would perhaps offer more than the former in front of goal. It's no secret that Gordon finished the campaign as one of only five players to register double figures for both goals (11) and assists (10) with his goal output improving significantly under Eddie Howe.
Diaz, meanwhile, managed eight goals and five assists in a more attack-minded Liverpool side, with the 27-year-old directly involved in a league goal every 203.5 minutes last season, that a significant drop in Gordon's return of a goal contribution every 138.4 minutes.
As direct attacking options down the left flank, it's a bit of a no brainer than the Reds should be looking to land Gordon as a replacement for Diaz. That's not to say the latter is a poor winger by any stretch but that the former is a better fit for a Slot-managed side.
