Born in Liverpool, Anthony Gordon started to play football from a young age. He joined the Everton Academy at 11 after being spotted by a scout at his local football team, Frameline Junior FC.
He would get early recognition from a young age and only got better. The now-Newcastle United player rose through the academy, and when he joined the under-18s, he went on to have an impressive goalscoring run in his first season.
This goalscoring run helped him receive attention from the senior management at Everton. This attention helped him get his first start for the club at 16 against Apollon Limassol in the Europe League. He became the first Toffees player in the 21st century to play for the first team.
The 21-year-old continued his fine form in the under-18s. However, he got an injury which affected his season. When he returned, he had to be managed back into the under-18s and under-23s.
After returning, he continued going from strength to strength and, in the summer of 2019, was rewarded with a 4-year contract to keep him at the club.
More appearances for the first team would follow for the Liverpool-born youngster, and he was a substitute against West Ham and Chelsea. However, Covid-19 would impact the whole Premier League and bring the league to a halt.
After the restart, Gordon received his full debut against Liverpool in the derby. This game would show the world Everton had a star on their hands.
His breakout season for Everton
After the match against Liverpool, Gordon continued to develop, but his opportunities were starting to get limited. So, it was decided that he would go out on loan in the January transfer window in 2021.
He went to Present North End for six months, but the loan didn't help the youngster get the right experience, only starting five games and not getting on the scoresheet.
Gordon would rejoin the Everton team in the summer of 2021 for pre-season. This would be the season where he would break through.
He established himself in the first team, and in that season, he became a shining light. He would get his first goal against Brighton, scoring a brace against the South Coast side; he added two more before the season ended, rounding off a brilliant campaign.
He was handed the famous number 10 jersey for the next season. However, other Premier League clubs were looking at the winger, with Chelsea putting in a £42m bid, which was rejected.
Six months later, Gordon dropped out of the starting 11 altogether, and the move he wanted in the summer was coming around. Newcastle came in with a £45m bid, which was accepted immediately.
His transfer to Newcastle and call-up to England
Arriving at Newcastle during the middle of the season would be hard for the youngster. However, he took it on and had a good season, which saw the club get into the Champions League for the first time in 20 years.
Coming into the 2023/24 season, the winger knew that this would be his season, and it has been. Gordon has scored nine goals in the Premier League while producing five assists.
People doubted his end product, and this was justified, but this season has shown what Gordon can produce, and he has been one of the best left-wingers in the league.
His form earned him his first call-up to the England team, and he got his first England cap against Brazil on Saturday. The Evertonian has been waiting for this moment for his whole career and performed very well.
England now play Belgium tomorrow night, and Gordon will want another appearance to show what he can do.
Going forward for the rest of the season, Gordon will be looking to finish the season strong at Newcastle and look ahead to the Euros in the summer, where he has every chance to get into the team.