Anthony Gordon: Bayern enter transfer race for Man United target

Anthony Gordon: Bayern enter transfer race for Man United target

Manchester United’s pursuit of Anthony Gordon has taken a sharp twist after Bayern Munich stormed into the race for the 25-year-old winger, according to a report from Germany.

Left wing is a priority

ESPN reveals the Red Devils are prioritising an upgrade out wide this summer as the club looks to find an “Amad on the left” after the Ivorian’s fine form on the opposite flank. The right-hand side constitutes one of the strongest areas of the pitch for United as Amad is in competition with last summer’s most expensive signing, Bryan Mbeumo, while academy wonderkid Shea Lacey is also knocking on the door.

Conversely, the left lacks a natural option to thrive high and wide after the transition away from Ruben Amorim’s failed 3-4-2-1 system to Michael Carrick’s more familiar 4-2-3-1 since INEOS brought an end to the prickly Portuguese’s tumultuous tenure. Whether Carrick, handed the reins as interim coach until the end of the campaign, remains in place next season or not, United are expected to maintain a formation predicated upon a back four and two out-and-out wingers.

This has led to a left-winger becoming a key target in the summer window after at least one high-profile midfielder is signed as the most urgent need. RB Leipzig speedster Yan Diomande is considered the leading target, while Everton trickster Iliman Ndiaye and Aston Villa talisman Morgan Rogers offer two options with Premier League pedigree – a key trait INEOS prioritised in last year’s overhaul of the attack with Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.

However, Gordon is another candidate who ticks this box after becoming a key part of a successful Newcastle side following his £45 million switch from Everton in 2022. But the England international is increasingly being linked with a bombshell exit from St James’ Park after the Magpies’ dramatic downturn this season, both on and off the pitch.

Newcastle will almost certainly miss out on European football next year, while their financial situation is described by insiders as precarious. This has led to the prospect of Eddie Howe’s best players, such as Gordon, Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Lewis Hall, among others, leaving Tyneside in search of Champions League football.

The Red Devils look set to test whether they can exploit their rivals’ fragile state, with interest in Gordon as well as their midfield duo of Tonali and Guimaraes. A report relayed by The Peoples Person revealed Carrick is actively pushing for the English winger to be the “number one target” this summer, with talk of an £80m bid in the works.

Bayern enter the race

United are not alone in their admiration of Gordon, however, as Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg reveals Bayern are “seriously considering” a summer swoop as well. The Bundesliga expert states “concrete talks” have already taken place between the Bavarian side and the player’s camp, though club-to-club negotiations are yet to start.

Tweet: “FC Bayern are seriously considering a move for Anthony #Gordon. The 25 y/o is currently the preferred candidate for the left wing as a back-up and competitor for Luis Díaz. Gordon has been informed. Concrete talks have already taken place, though the clubs are not yet in contact. NUFC want to keep him. Sky Sports DE.”

Bayern are understood to see Gordon as a “back-up and competitor” to Diaz, currently enjoying a stellar debut season at the Allianz Arena after his £65m switch from Liverpool last summer. But the price Newcastle would demand for their prized asset would not be commensurate with a player signed for depth purposes, suggesting a compromise would need to be reached.

Interestingly, if United were to miss out on Gordon due to Bayern, it could actually boost the Mancunian club’s hopes of striking a deal for Diomande, as Die Roten are also in the hunt for the RB Leipzig starlet.

Final Thoughts

Gordon fits the criteria INEOS have increasingly used to avoid any more expensive mistakes in the transfer market. But the Newcastle winger is a player who operates best in transition, with space to utilise his devastating speed and relentless engine.

When tasked with breaking down defences willing to sit deep in a low block, a set-up United have consistently been unable to deal with, Gordon also struggles. This is why he has 10 goals in 12 games in the Champions League, but only 6 in 26 in the league.

For the price the Magpies would demand, particularly if it was INEOS who came knocking due to the pre-existing bad blood, he is simply not an attacker worth breaking the bank for.

Featured image Aziz Karimov via Getty Images

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