For someone who had serious doubts over his credentials, to someone who has now just seen a £40million bid for his services rejected. It's been a meteoric rise for Anthony Gordon over the past 12 months or so at Everton.
At the start of last season, there were question marks regarding Gordon's future at Goodison Park. The Liverpool-born attacker, who is the subject of serious interest from Chelsea, has transformed himself on Merseyside, as Liverpool ECHO's Everton correspondent Christopher Beesley explains.
"Anthony Gordon has come a long way in a relatively short space of time, given that a year ago, there were still question marks over whether he would actually make it at Everton, and now he's regarded as one of the club's most valuable assets," Beesley told football.london. "He spent the second half of the 2020/21 season on loan at Preston. I remember him telling me earlier this year how this spell in the Championship had given him a real reality check over how fortunate he was to be in the Premier League and how he never wanted to drop down from it again.
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"He really kicked on during 2021/22 in what – despite being a hugely difficult season for Everton – was a real breakthrough campaign for him. The season started with doubts from Rafael Benitez about whether Gordon was robust enough to manage 90 minutes of Premier League action, but he ended up playing in more matches than anyone else in the squad.
"He's a very driven, self-confident individual, and while he's pleased with how he's developed so far, he's brutally honest about how he needs to improve even more and sets very high standards for himself."
Despite Chelsea's interest in Gordon, football.london has been told that Everton will not entertain any offers for the 21-year-old talent. Chelsea, however, are expected to once again test Everton's resolve and increase their bid for Gordon.
"I think it would be a huge blow for Everton in terms of the signal that it would send out with their brightest homegrown talent potentially leaving the club," Beesley added. "They have already sold Richarlison this summer, but he had already given four years' service and had just two years remaining on his existing deal. While it was a bitter pill to swallow to lose him to a Premier League rival, it was begrudgingly accepted a necessary evil to cash in at the optimum time to help re-shape the under-achieving squad.
"Gordon is an exciting prospect and a local lad who has just been handed the number 10 shirt of whom Lampard declared while on tour in the USA last month: 'He's going nowhere'. Whereas the Richarlison sale could be seen as being part of the club's overall strategy, Gordon's departure would not be welcomed this window.
"Ultimately, every player has his price, though, and it remains to be seen whether Chelsea make Everton an offer that they feel they cannot refuse, having their hands somewhat tied over Richarlison, who was valued higher than what Goodison Park chiefs actually got for him. I'd imagine they want top dollar for Gordon, and it's worth remembering that Chelsea have splashed out over £60m on a left-back.
"It's also common knowledge that there are a few players at Stamford Bridge that could interest Everton, so perhaps the potential for a part-exchange might ultimately be seen as mutually beneficial, although Evertonians would hope that if it came to that, they'd actually be decent ones rather than mere cast-offs that Thomas Tuchel can't wait to get shut of."
Gordon has been heavily criticised by supporters and pundits for how easily he goes down to the floor in games. As recently as Sunday evening, when Sky Sports' Graeme Souness was discussing Chelsea's interest in Gordon, the youngster was slammed.
Souness said: "£40million for a 21-year-old who's played 50 games? He's not set the world on fire for me, and he goes to ground too easily. That's a hell of a lot of money."
Beesley, though, thinks this is rubbish. He said: "[It's] totally unfair in my opinion and a school of thought driven because of one high-profile incident in particular against Liverpool at Anfield. Lampard is still reeling, no doubt, from the outrageous decision not to award his side a penalty against Manchester City after a blatant handball by Rodri. He got in hot water with the game's authorities after the Merseyside Derby for comments he made over his side not being given a penalty after Joel Matip's challenge on Gordon.
"Rightly or wrongly, Gordon seems to have earned something of a reputation already, though, and you could suggest that if hampering him. He didn't get a decision at Villa Park on Saturday when Tyrone Mings appeared to shove him to the turf.
"While I'd defend Gordon to say he's not a blatant diver. I would concede that on occasions, he might not help himself given that he went down clutching his face after the aforementioned incident against Aston Villa despite being struck elsewhere, and that's something I don't like to see from any players, especially when representing Everton."
In his breakthrough season in the Premier League, Gordon managed to find the back of the net on four occasions and also assisted his Everton teammates twice. If being critical of the Chelsea target, this is an area that needs improving.
"His goals and assists output," Beesley replied when asked by football.london what area of Gordon's game needs to be improved. "Given that he's an attacking midfielder – that's a must.
"As has already been eluded to, a lot with Gordon right now is his potential rather than suggesting that he is the finished product. It took him 47 senior matches before he finally broke his scoring duck in senior football."
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