Everton forward Anthony Gordon is pushing hard for a move to Newcastle United after missing training for a second successive day.
i understands Gordon’s absence on Wednesday was not with Everton’s blessing and represents a significant upping of the stakes as talks between Newcastle and his club continue over a potential move.
Gordon is understood to want permission to talk to Newcastle – just as he wanted to go to Chelsea in the summer – but Everton had preferred to hold off making a decision until they have more clarity on their managerial situation. It looks very much as if it is a move to force the club’s hand on Gordon’s part.
There was some consternation at Goodison Park at the England under-21 forward missing training, with club officials said to be unsure of his whereabouts. Despite his future being up in the air, i understands that Gordon has not put in a transfer request.
In the close season Everton managed to talk Gordon around after Frank Lampard urged the club to reject Chelsea’s overtures and build a team around their Academy graduate. But there is a sense that the mood around the move has changed at Goodison Park, especially with Everton in need of funds to restock their relegation-threatened squad.
The England under-21 forward is clearly keen on Newcastle and the feeling appears to be mutual. He is Eddie Howe’s number one target and there is a belief at St James’ Park that while he is raw, he can progress under a coach who has improved many of his squad.
Talks now centre on a fee and the structure of the deal, with Newcastle valuing Gordon at around £30m but Everton seeking considerably more than that. The Toffees would always resist staggered payments as they look to provide their next manager with a transfer budget to spend in the final days of the transfer window.
Sources at Goodison Park revealed that Gordon had agreed a new long-term deal in December but that has gone unsigned, and Lampard’s departure has helped push him towards the exit. He posted an emotional Instagram tribute to Lampard in the wake of his departure.
The Gordon situation is yet another festering issue on Merseyside, where they hope to make significant progress on appointing a new manager before the weekend.
Everton still want Marcelo Bielsa – who is Farhad Moshiri’s number one target – and further discussions were held on Wednesday. There is an acknowledgement that bringing in Bielsa may be costly and risky in mid-season but he retains the most support of a field that also includes former Burnley boss Sean Dyche.
A potential short-term appointment has been floated with some reports claiming former boss Sam Allardyce, still close to Moshiri, was an option. But the man himself played down those reports, claiming he had not had any contact with the club in his “No Tippy Tappy Football” podcast.
It has been a tumultuous week on Merseyside. Tuesday saw the fall-out from Lampard’s departure continue while the club were dealt a significant blow as Arnaut Danjuma opted to move to Tottenham despite undergoing a medical and carrying out club media interviews with Everton. Danjuma was unveiled as a Spurs player on Wednesday.
Moshiri also moved to deny fresh reports that he wanted to sell the club, telling an interview with the club’s Fan Advisory Board that he was looking for investors rather than a full sale at Goodison Park.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/w1kd2Ju
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