EKO HOT BLOG reports that Everton forward Anthony Gordon has finally opened up on Chelsea’s high-profile pursuit of him during the summer transfer window and believes the figures quoted were ‘crazy’.
The 21-year-old – who was initially linked with a move to Tottenham at the start of the window – became a late target for the Blues at the backend of August.
Some reports claimed Chelsea were prepared to offer as much as £60million to land the England Under-21 international, which would have made him one of the most expensive British players ever.
Gordon has now addressed the flurry of transfer speculation that surrounded him at the start of the season and says even he was surprised by the sums being reported.
Asked about Chelsea’s approach, Gordon said: ‘That’s football nowadays – it’s absolutely crazy. Personally, I don’t think any player is worth that amount of money but I’m also not going to talk myself down.
‘The money in football, that’s just how it is nowadays. You’re also paying for potential all the time these days. That’s just how football goes.
‘I wasn’t too focused on that because I can only control what I can control. I think the minute you do that (thinking he is a £60m player), there’s only one way you’re going to go.
You need to stay humble. You need to focus on today and tomorrow and don’t look too far into the future.
‘That’s part and parcel of football. When you’re doing well, there’s always going to be that speculation.
‘But because the place (Everton) is so good, it’s not a place where I’m devastated because I have to stay. That’s never been the case. I was never desperate to leave Everton. It was definitely not the case.’
Gordon has started the season in good form despite being used in an unfamiliar role up top in the absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and feels he has an outside chance of making England’s World Cup squad.
He continued: ‘If I didn’t have the ambition to play for England in the World Cup then I would be a bit stupid, but I understand the squad is so good at the minute that it’s going to be really tough to get in.
‘I’m 100 per cent focused on making the World Cup squad. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen.
It’s out of my control but I’ll definitely give it my best try. To get there, I’ll need to score a lot of goals in the next couple of games. I’m ready for that challenge. I’m hopeful.’
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