According to The Athletic, Celtic could return for Anthony Gordon this summer. The Hoops ‘tried to sign’ the 19-year-old on loan in January but failed to bring him to Parkhead.
The Athletic say Celtic have been watching Everton U18s and U23s this season and have Gordon on their list of targets. Whether the forward will be granted a loan departure remains to be seen, however, as he’s highly-rated at Goodison Park and may be given opportunities by Carlo Ancelotti in 2020/21.
Gordon has risen through the youth ranks to the fringes of the first-team, making four appearances at senior level. The 19-year-old has been in the matchday squad on eight occasions this season and featured three times.
As per Transfermarkt, he’s been outstanding for the U18s (31 appearances, 16 goals, five assists) and U23s (27 appearances, eight goals, four assists), so Ancelotti surely won’t overlook him next season.
Marcel Brands has been trying to lower the average age of Everton’s squad by replacing older players with young equivalents, so Gordon would be ideal to take Gylfi Sigurdsson’s place in the future. The 30-year-old is be available for £20m this summer, but Ancelotti may have a replacement waiting in the wings.
Jesse Lingard, James Rodriguez, Philippe Coutinho and Jack Grealish have been linked, but Gordon deserves a chance to prove his worth. This could mean Celtic’s attempts to loan him fail this summer, as Everton may have big plans.