Newcastle United winger cannot wait to finally get the chance to work with Thomas Tuchel whose style of play should suit Gordon’s sense of adventure
Newcastle United winger cannot wait to finally get the chance to work with Thomas Tuchel whose style of play should suit Gordon’s sense of adventure Newcastle United winger cannot wait to finally get the chance to work with Thomas Tuchel whose style of play should suit Gordon’s sense of adventure
Anthony Gordon has a head start on most England players hoping to secure a World Cup 2026 spot… because he has already felt “a lot of warmth” from Thomas Tuchel.
Privately, Tuchel has said “some really complimentary things” to the Newcastle winger, having tried to sign him in the summer of 2022 when the German was in charge at Stamford Bridge. And Gordon, who recently agreed a new long-term deal at Newcastle United, admits he had been “desperate” to link up with Tuchel at Chelsea, only for Everton to play hardball over the transfer fee.
With Frank Lampard as manager, the Merseyside club turned down two bids from Chelsea for Gordon, the second one coming in at £45million.
At the time, Lampard said the move was never close to happening but as he looked forward to Tuchel taking the England reins, Gordon – who joined Newcastle for £60million in January, 2023 – told a slightly different story. He explains: “It was quite close to be honest. I was desperate to go at the time and work with him (Tuchel) especially.
“I felt like my style would suit his style of play – the way he was playing at Chelsea was very exciting for me. It was a big opportunity for me that didn’t end up happening and I’m looking forward to getting to work with him a couple of years later.”
Towards the end of the 2021-22 Premier League season, Gordon starred in a crucial one-goal win over Chelsea at Goodison Park and Tuchel had a quiet word with the young forward. Gordon recalls: “I spoke to him after a game we played against Chelsea when I played for Everton.
“I shook his hand and … he said some really complimentary things to me that I’ll keep to myself. I felt a lot of warmth from him which then, in turn, made me really want to play for him but I didn’t get that chance.”
Gordon, 23, will surely get that chance when Tuchel takes charge of his first England games next March – not only is he a favourite of the new manager’s, he has been one of the outstanding performers during Lee Carsley’s interim tenure. And even though he suffered a recurrence of a hip problem during last Sunday’s win for Newcastle at Nottingham Forest, Gordon never considered joining the mass band of players crying off from Three Lions duty.
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“No, that wasn’t a possibility,” declares Gordon. “There was no chance I would not come here. The staff here thought they could help me with the injury. They’ve done an excellent job because I’ve been training straight away. It’s gone to a certain extent.”
While depleted England face a tough task in Athens against a Greek side on a roll – and one that won at Wembley last month – Gordon is relishing the challenge of having to go on the front foot in a hostile environment. He says: “As a winger, my main role is to go at players and try and cause trouble and do as much in the final third as I can.
“In an England team, your main focus is to attack. There are very few teams where we sit back and allow them to have the ball. I think we’re always going to try and go for it, especially under Lee, that’s what we’ve done so far. I don’t expect it to be any different.”
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