Man Utd urged to hijack Arsenal move for ‘one of the best players in the Premier League’

Manchester United have been urged to hijack Arsenal’s transfer interest in Anthony Gordon and bring the Newcastle forward to Old Trafford.

While scoring only three goals in the Premier League for Eddie Howe’s side this season, Gordon has been firing on all cylinders in the Champions League.

Four goals in the first leg of Newcastle’s play-off tie with Qarabag brought his tally to ten in as many games in Europe for his club this season.

And that sensational form on the continent appears to have caught the attention of several English clubs ahead of the summer transfer window.

Liverpool were linked with a move for Gordon in previous summers, but recent reports suggest that Arsenal are leading the race to sign the £95million-rated forward in the summer.

Mikel Arteta is said to be a keen admirer of Gordon, and sees him as the perfect candidate to freshen up his options on the left wing.

Former Gunners star Anders Limpar is a big fan of Gordon, too, and believes he has the qualities to shine under Arteta, but isn’t convinced that Arsenal will pull the trigger on the deal in the summer.

‘It is tough for me to say, because I really like Martinelli,’ he told Bettingsidor.se when asked about Arsenal’s potential move for Gordon.

‘His work rate is fantastic. He is so loyal to the team and everyone wants him to create goals or assists, but he is the one first back defending.

‘He is so loyal, but Trossard has been amazing and has been playing instead of him. Personally, I think Arteta told Trossard that he wanted him to sign a new contract, but that it wasn’t the plan that he should play.

‘Martinelli was on the way to Saudi Arabia and then Arsenal signed Eze. He was the main target because Arteta wasn’t happy with Trossard or Martinelli.

‘He bought Eze to be in that spot, but if we were to speak about Anthony Gordon for that left wing spot, Gordon is one of the best players in the Premier League with his pace and everything, and he is already playing for England.

‘But you will have to pay £90 million for him and I don’t know if Arsenal have that kind of money.’

Should a move to Arsenal fail to materialise, Gordon will hardly be short of suiots in the summer, with United, Liverpool and even Manchester City all credited with interest in the 25-year-old.

But former Liverpool and Chelsea defender Glen Johnson believes that a move to United, much improved under the guidance of interim head coach Michael Carrick, would suit the England international.

‘In terms of him getting game time and kicking on, I’d probably say Manchester United as a destination for Anthony Gordon,’ Johnson told Boyle Sports.

‘Obviously, he’s a Liverpool fan, so for a Liverpool fan to play for United, it could be a bit odd for him.

‘But at Arsenal, you’ve got too many similar players. I don’t think he’d be needed as much.

‘Under Michael Carrick, they’ve obviously kicked on a lot more, I think the way he plays, he would get game time, and I just think that would probably suit him best right now.’

Despite interest in his signature, though, Gordon has sought to dismiss any speculation over his future, labelling it as a ‘load of rubbish’.

‘It’s the same old, same old. I think they just pick names out of a hat. They do,’ he told Chronicle Live when asked about the rumours.

‘I haven’t heard anything; they might want to tell me before they tell you [the media].’

‘I have gone through enough transfer stuff now to know that it is all a load of rubbish. I am focused on me and focused on the team, I am focused on right now.

‘You look too far in the future and you start to underperform. And believe me, I have done that and I am not going to do that now.’

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