Newcastle United now have a plan in place for Anthony Gordon after seeing what he’s doing at the U21s European Championship according to Graeme Bailey.
North East journalist Graeme Bailey has given us a hint as to what Newcastle are planning in the transfer market this summer and what they he expects them to do with Anthony Gordon.
Newcastle are looking for a Number 10 type player, someone to act as the go-between between the midfield and the forward, it’s a position we haven’t really had for a while which is why Eddie Howe set his team up the way he did last season.
Graeme Bailey expects Gordon to play as a right-sided forward
But with more games to play next season and more varied opponents to tackle, Howe will want to make sure he has all his options covered hence the search for that position.
Talking on 90mins Talking Transfers podcast, Bailey was stated as to why he thinks Newcastle’s search has switched from a right-sided attacker to one who plays more centrally.
The host of the podcast, Scott Saunders mentioned that Anthony Gordon was flying for England Under 21s right now which prompted Bailey to say: “He’s playing more as a forward. We might see him ideally on the right side of a Newcastle front three or as a forward. I think he will get game time, they see him on that side, which is why we’re not seeing Newcastle really linked to right-sided players any more, your Moussa Diabys. I think they do see a pathway for Gordon there.”
So it seems that despite playing mostly out on the left or through the middle in his cameos last season, he could now be switched to the right hand side to play instead of Miguel Almiron.
Gordon’s attitude at the end of last season suggests he’d play in goal if he had to
Gordon is certainly versatile enough to do that, but there’s also a hint in what Bailey said that suggests he could also be used as a number 10. He is proving right now in the U21s European Championship that he can play as a forward, he’s also played as a midfielder, so there’s nothing to stop him from excelling in that in-between role either.
From what Gordon said at the end of last season with regards to making sure he is fit and ready for next season, it seems that his determination and desire to succeed at Newcastle would mean he will play anywhere he’s asked to in order to guarantee game time.
It’s going to be a massive season for Anthony Gordon at Newcastle, wherever he plays, but there’s a strong feeling amongst fans that we’re going to see a much better player next season than the one we saw arrive for £45million in January and struggle to break into the team.
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