Anthony Gordon appears to have been denied a dream transfer to join boyhood club Liverpool this summer.
talkSPORT understands the Reds made a tentative enquiry to bring the former Everton winger back to Merseyside from Newcastle, but talks between the clubs have since broken down.
Separate reports claim Newcastle were willing to cash-in on the England international to help comply with PSR rules, but wanted a Liverpool player in return as part of a swap deal.
According to the Daily Mail, the player wanted by Eddie Howe and the Magpies was 21-year-old centre-back Jarell Quansah.
But Anfield bosses rejected that possibility, with Quansah seen as a future star of the club, having already become a regular and dependable member of the first-team.
With a swap deal seemingly off the table, talkSPORT understands Newcastle do not want to sell Gordon or star Alexander Isak – linked with a move to Chelsea – this summer.
They would, however, entertain a £40million offer for wonderkid Yankuba Minteh, with Brighton interested in the winger.
While the Magpies are under pressure to offload players before Sunday’s PSR deadline, the club has made it clear to any suitors it would take a massive offer to prise either attacker away.
It may have come as a surprise to some to see a former Everton player in talks over a move to their arch rivals across Stanley Park.
But what you may not know, and what Everton fans would like to forget, is that Gordon is a boyhood Liverpool fan and still a huge supporter of the Anfield club.
Gordon was even a Liverpool player at one point of his young career before being released by the Reds at the age of 11, when he was then picked up by Everton.
He also remains good mates with Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, having come through the club’s Kirkby academy together, while is close to Reds stars Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez through the England set-up.
Gordon has made no secret of the fact, either.
If his reputation with Everton fans was tarnished by his £40million exit to St James’ Park in 2023, it was perhaps destroyed forever when he later named a Liverpool legend as his all-time footballing hero.
“Steven Gerrard was my football hero growing up,” he told Gary Neville on The Overlap.
“Coming from Liverpool, he was like a God in Liverpool, and he was unbelievable player.”
He also named current Reds superstar Mohamed Salah as one of his biggest inspirations in the game today, in comments that further infuriated Toffees supporters.
“My confidence comes from my preparation,” he told Neville. “Some footballers like to think less, just turn up and play and trust their instincts. I just love the mindset of getting myself in that place before I’m already there.
“I saw Mo Salah talk about it – that’s where I took even more interest, because I see him as an absolute machine and a winner. People like that, you’re not going to go too far wrong following what they do.”
Writing in X in response to the interview, one angry Bluenose said: “Antony Gordon takes every opportunity to tell Everton fans he supports Liverpool.”
Gordon also revealed he loves playing at Liverpool’s home stadium.
Asked by Channel 4 from the England camp about his favourite atmosphere in the Premier League, he said: “Other than St. James’, it’s Anfield by far.
“Maybe it’s because I’m from the city and grew up watching it but I just think before the game when they sing YNWA, it’s top, top level.”
For now, Gordon needs to knuckle down with England at Euro 2024, having recovered from falling off his bike during a recovery session on Thursday.
But it does appear his dream of playing in a red shirt is not entirely off the table.