Anthony Gordon looked a shoo-in for a spot in England’s World Cup squad just a matter of months ago, but after a difficult end to the season, the winger might see his summer plans hastily rearranged.
His last goal of any kind came in the 2-1 defeat against local rivals Sunderland at the back end of March, while a recent injury saw him sit out the last five Newcastle outings. It’s less than ideal timing, given Thomas Tuchel is set to announce his 26-man squad on Friday.
Gordon didn’t make the cut for the 2022 World Cup, but was involved in the England squad that reached the final of Euro 2024. His minutes might’ve been sparse throughout the tournament, but the Merseysider was a regular in England’s Nations League and World Cup qualifying campaigns.
He scored during England’s 5-0 win over Latvia, which proved the match that secured World Cup qualification for the Three Lions. But as next month’s tournament in North America looms, there are question marks over whether he’ll make the squad this time around.
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Away from the battle for an England spot, Gordon’s future has been up in the air at Newcastle. It’s being reported that Bayern Munich hold an interest in the attacker, while Liverpool have been a long-time admirer.
Eddie Howe recently admitted the 25-year-old might have already played his final game for the Magpies. He explained: “Anthony’s just come back from injury. I think the team has played well in his absence and with a partial view to the future, yes. No, nothing, no updates from me. These are discussions that potentially might be happening, but not with me.”
When asked if he’d feature before the end of the season, Howe added: “If it’s the right thing for the team – and I put the team and the club above any individual – then I would play him, of course.”
England’s 26-man squad is set to be announced on Friday, with warm–up matches against New Zealand and Costa Rica to come before their opening group game vs Croatia. Following that, England play Ghana and Panama, with the knockouts starting from the round-of-32 stage.