EXCLUSIVE: Anthony Gordon tells Everton he will NOT return to the club after missing three days of training in a stand-off to force his £55m move to Newcastle through, with the clubs yet to agree a fee
- Anthony Gordon has been absent from Everton training for a third straight day
- The 21-year-old winger has no intention of returning to the Merseyside club
- He has not started a game for the Toffees since the mid-season World Cup break
Anthony Gordon has told Everton he has no intention of returning to his boyhood club as he tries to force a move to Newcastle United.
Gordon, 21, is a target for high-flying Newcastle but Everton want around £55million for the winger. He has missed the last three days of training at Everton’s Finch Farm base – although the first of these was a planned absence.
The clubs are in formal talks but yet to agree a fee. Chelsea were also interested in Gordon, who has 18 months left on his contract, last summer.
Anthony Gordon has told Everton he has no intention of returning to his boyhood club
The Everton youth product has not started a game for the Toffees since the mid-season World Cup break after a dip in form followed his starring role in last season’s Premier League survival bid under Frank Lampard.
Lampard was sacked on Monday and Everton are yet to appoint a replacement, although No 1 candidate Marcelo Bielsa flew into London for talks today.
Everton had hoped to bring in Villarreal’s Arnaut Danjuma on loan this week, but the Dutch international chose Tottenham instead despite completing a medical on Merseyside.
Gordon is a target for high-flying Newcastle but Everton want around £55m for the winger
Gordon has not started a game for the Toffees since the mid-season World Cup break
Earlier this week, Sportsmail confirmed that Newcastle were in formal talks with Everton over a deal for Gordon. However, Everton’s £55m valuation of Gordon goes above what Newcastle are willing to pay.
Therefore, the Magpies offered Chris Wood as part of a swap deal before he agreed to join Nottingham Forest on loan until the end of the 2022-2023 campaign.
As it stands, Gordon has 18 months remaining on his current contract at Goodison Park – having joined the club as an 11-year-old…