Arsenal have turned their attention to Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon as the priority left-wing target for the summer, with reports on Sunday suggesting the Gunners are preparing to submit a formal offer in the region of £75 million.
The 25-year-old England international has scored 14 goals and contributed five assists across all competitions this season, establishing himself as one of the most productive wide players in the Premier League.
The complication is a significant one: Sky Sports News have confirmed that Gordon’s current contract at Newcastle runs until 2030, two years longer than previously understood, giving Eddie Howe’s club enormous negotiating leverage.
Newcastle’s preference is clear — they do not want to sell. But the club are also under pressure to manage their finances following last summer’s expensive misadventures in the transfer market, and the combination of Champions League uncertainty and PSR exposure means they cannot simply refuse every approach.
Arsenal believe Gordon would be happy to move to north London, and the Gunners see him as the ideal profile to address a left-wing position that has been in transition since the start of the season, with both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard entering the final year of their contracts.
Liverpool and Manchester United have also been credited with serious interest, but Arsenal are understood to be the furthest advanced in their planning, with Gordon representing what one report called the club’s most “concrete” approach of the summer targets under consideration.
Gordon’s output has been there for anyone watching Newcastle closely to see. He scored four goals in a single Champions League group stage game against Qarabag in February, and his league contribution has been consistently impressive despite playing in a Newcastle side that has lacked cohesion in key areas.
The fee gap between Arsenal’s opening position and Newcastle’s valuation is real and will need to be bridged. Whether the player’s own desire to take the next step in his career becomes a factor in accelerating that process remains to be seen.
At this stage, the direction of travel is clear: Arsenal want Gordon, and summer will be the moment when that interest is tested against Newcastle’s determination to hold on.