Everton forward Anthony Gordon missed training for the second day in a row with his future at the club in serious doubt amid interest from Newcastle.
The 21-year-old has been the subject of transfer interest in the winter window and missed the squad’s return to the Finch Farm training complex on Tuesday following the sacking of manager Frank Lampard.
Everton again expected Gordon to be at training on Wednesday but the PA news agency understands the academy graduate was absent for a second day without permission, casting further doubt over his long-term future at his boyhood club.
Midfielder Amadou Onana, reportedly attracting interest from Arsenal, did rejoin the group on Wednesday having been given an authorised absence by the club the previous day.
Only a month ago, Gordon, whose current contract expires in 2025, was set to sign a new deal but things appear to have soured since then.
Having started the Boxing Day defeat to Wolves, the winger has since made just two substitute appearances totalling 30 minutes and, despite being the club’s joint-top scorer in the Premier League this season with three goals, he was left on the bench for the entire 90 minutes in last weekend’s defeat against West Ham.
Both Newcastle and Chelsea made offers for Gordon in the summer but the club were adamant the youngster was not for sale and, while that resolve may now be weakening, without a manager in place it makes sanctioning any potential departure difficult.
It is an added complication relegation-threatened Everton do not need right now as they search for an eighth permanent manager in just under seven years of owner Farhad Moshiri’s reign.
There have been some murmurs on Twitter that Gordon has asked to leave the club, which makes sense given his repeated absences from training.
Nine defeats in 12 league matches accounted for Lampard with the club only staying off the bottom of the table on goal difference.
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Former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa emerged as the favourite to replace him but a deal for him remains complicated and, with the transfer window closing in six days, Everton want the new man in place by the end of the week.
The club have also considered Carlos Corberan, who has done an impressive job turning around West Brom’s failing fortunes in the Sky Bet Championship.
The out-of-work ex-Burnley boss Sean Dyche and Sam Allardyce, who had a previous…
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