Liverpool could launch a move to upgrade the £100m Gakpo

With Liverpool's pre-season tour of the United States about to begin, the dawn of the Arne Slot era is starting to feel very real.

In just over three weeks' time, Liverpool will travel to Portman Road to kick off the 2024/25 Premier League season against newly promoted Ipswich Town, and one of the most important questions that remains right now is whether the Reds will have completed their signings.

Along with Fulham, Liverpool are one of only two top-flight outfits yet to find new faces in their senior squad, with sporting director Richard Hughes revealing that the Merseysider's transfer window is growing until a potential August “crescendo”. it can be seen if Slot has his first team complete and can accurately decide where to bring in new faces.

Liverpool are well-stocked all over the park but will be on the move if an attractive opportunity presents itself in the coming weeks. Although it's been radio silence at the moment, one journalist believes that FSG could still move to the top target from the start of the window.

Liverpool transfer news

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool will need to pay a £100m fee to sign Anthony Gordon this summer, with Newcastle United believed to be hoping to retain the England international's services.

However, last month, when the Magpies were hit by PSR concerns, they handed one Reds academy member to FSG as they struggled to balance the books, and there are fears that the Liverpool fan's head has been changed.

However, Liverpool's David Lynch recently said the deal is not dead, saying: “For Anthony Gordon, I think the one who has a real chance to be resurrected maybe later in the window.”

Of course, the £100m claims mean signing the Newcastle man will come at a higher price than that paid for club-record signing Darwin Nunez, who signed from Benfica in a deal that rose to £85m two years ago, but Gordon's track record points to that. it's worth the stress.

Anthony Gordon's 23/24 season by the numbers

As the 2022/23 Premier League season draws to a close, Gordon may not have done enough to convince Newcastle fans that he was worth the £45m Everton paid for his services five months ago.

In 16 matches for the Toon, he failed to put it all together and opened his account on the final day of the term, scoring in a 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and the seeds of success were there, just laid bare. A year has passed and England fans across the country are calling for Gordon to be the star player in Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad after a stellar campaign saw him named United's Player of the Year.

Eddie Howe's outfit have been plagued by injuries after qualifying for the Champions League, meaning they will be limited to home games next year – could that play into Liverpool's hands? – but Gordon shone throughout.

Across all competitions, the 23-year-old scored 12 goals and added 11 assists as his pace and power down the left flank frustrated his opponents and formed a lethal partnership with Alexander Isak, forming one of Europe's best forwards.

If Lynch is to be believed, the Merseysiders could make a formal move to sign Gordon later, with FSG bosses having suggested that August would be the time to do business at Anfield.

The Reds are well stocked but are always looking for ways to improve, and Gordon may even show an improvement on Cody Gakpo's form.

Why Anthony Gordon could be an upgrade for Cody Gakpo

Gakpo has been one of the standout players in European competition this summer and, after a strong finish to the 2023/24 campaign with Liverpool, will be determined to excel under Slot's tutelage.

He has bagged five goals and three assists in the final three months of the top-flight season despite only making seven appearances, and as such will be keen to play a bigger role this year, with skill up front and forward.

But Gordon, an out-and-out player, is a “dangerous” player – as journalist Antonio Mango put it – with electric speed and fearsome movement. As you'll see below, he outperformed his Dutch counterpart in almost every metric in the Premier League last year.

Gakpo may be a better natural finisher but Gordon's speed and level of play allow him to cause havoc in many ways – plus, he's well-mannered and very busy in a duel.

There is a good case to be made that Gakpo, who was pigeon-holed in many positions under Jurgen Klopp last year, will elevate his game significantly under a coach like Slot who would give him a single purpose, performance enhancing, enriching smoothness.

But praised for his “fearless” presence on the pitch by Tyneside icon Alan Shearer, Gordon will bring the whole gamut to the slot door, and would be a talented player in a talented team. Luis Diaz is also there, an important member of the team, but Gordon, if he can have his form in the new campaign, could be seen to play a bigger role.

Therefore, Liverpool will only gain a huge victory by bringing Gordon back to his hometown. While proposals for a £100m price tag may prevent FSG from making a move, the summer market could still see a number of changes that could leave Liverpool free to leave.

Gordon, as Lynch puts it, would jump at the chance to join the club.