Martin Keown explodes at Anthony Gordon to Newcastle developments, Sean Dyche Everton arrival now crucial
Martin Keown has slammed Anthony Gordon for trying to leave Everton for Newcastle, accusing him of behaving like a “spoilt child” live on talkSPORT.
The Toffees winger has become a major transfer target for the Magpies at the tail end of the window, after the sacking of Frank Lampard, but ex-Goodison defender Keown believes incoming manager Sean Dyche is now “really important” for getting the youngster in shape at the club.
The 21-year-old returned to Finch Farm on Friday (27 January) after three days away, but the Daily Mail’s Dominic King reported on Twitter early in the morning that negotiations over the move are “further advanced than is being indicated” amid direct involvement from Amanda Staveley.
Speaking live on talkSPORT on Friday (27 January) Keown was furious at the situation, saying: “He wanted to go to Chelsea, that’s turned his head clearly. Now there’s talk of Newcastle, that’s turning his head as well. He’s got a football club where he is. He needs to concentrate and do his best where he is right now.
“These young players are pampered so much because they’re on a pedestal all the way through their life, from the minute they start to play football, they are separated within their own families… his every need is catered for.
“How do you then have a normal type of personality to accept things when they don’t get their way? This is almost like spoilt child behaviour.
“Sean Dyche can be really important now for this player’s career, to get him back on the right track first, behave yourself, get in line, and let’s see what you can do and help this football club to stay up.”
Too late
The former Burnley boss looks to be arriving after the horse has bolted with developments rapidly proceeding for Gordon to head to the North East.
Whether he would even be welcomed back now is open to doubt, having seen his form trail off following the unsuccessful pursuit of Chelsea at the end of the summer window.
Having apparently wanted the Stamford Bridge move, he has stayed away from training to push through the Newcastle transfer, and having been accosted leaving the Southampton defeat on 14 January, it may be that the relationship between the academy product and the fans may already be broken.
If it frees up enough money to provide Dyche with some much-needed recruits in the final days of the window then it may be that it is best for all parties for Gordon to complete the move.
It represents be a disappointing end for a homegrown player who big things were expected of as little as six months ago, but the overall turmoil at the club in the time since looks to have soured that.
Dyche may have had a plan for Gordon if he could have had some direct communication in time, but at this point it is starting to look like a foregone conclusion, even if Arnaut Danjuma has already proven there is no such thing in the transfer market.