Anthony Gordon: Why are Newcastle interested in signing Everton winger?

Newcastle and Chelsea tried to sign Everton forward Anthony Gordon last summer and now the Magpies are believed to be the frontrunners to sign him in January – but why is the 21-year-old in demand?

Gordon failed to turn up to Everton training for a third day in a row on Thursday and his future at the club looks increasingly in doubt. It is thought a bid of around £40m could tempt Everton to sell.

Here, we take a look at what the England U21 international could offer Newcastle or other potential suitors…

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After being linked with a move away from Everton, we take a look at Anthony Gordon’s best bits from his time in the Premier League with the Toffees.

Youthful endeavour

The winger has only made two substitute appearances since the defeat to Wolves on Boxing Day and was an unused substitute in last weekend’s defeat against West Ham.

Despite having limited game time since November, Gordon remains the club’s joint-top scorer with three league goals and has also fired a team-topping 16 shots on target.

Among fellow U21s in the Premier League, the chart below reveals how Gordon is out on his own when it comes to hitting the target per 90 minutes and shooting accuracy – while only Bukayo Saka outguns him for open-play expected goals (xG).

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While the heat map above clearly shows how Gordon has operated primarily down the right flank this term, the youngster fires most of his accurate shots from the left side of the penalty box – scoring two of his three goals from this area.

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His ability to cut inside and shoot from inside opposition boxes, between six and 18 yards out, is typical of the modern inverted forward, and it’s worth remembering Gordon is playing at a club who have scored only 15 league goals this term – only Wolves have scored fewer.

As a result of frequently shooting from the left side of the opposition box, the majority of his attempts are fired low with his favoured right boot – to the goalkeeper’s left corner.

Energy and speed

Arguably, Gordon’s primary strength is pure speed and energy, having clocked the second-fastest burst of pace in the Premier League this term at 36.61 km/h – bettered only by new Chelsea signing Mykhailo Mudryk.

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The graphic below plots Gordon’s physical exertions against all his current Everton team-mates and Newcastle players this season and reveals how he also ranks among the elite for sprints – behind only Jacob Murphy and Miguel Almiron.

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Powerhouse clubs are attracted to the England U21 star’s pace, energy and eye for goal, while his tender years offer considerable scope for development. Meanwhile, his three-day absence from training appears to indicate his future at Goodison Park could be coming to an end.

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