- Toffees reluctant to sell academy graduate
- Attacking additions sought at Stamford Bridge
- Transfer window closes on September 1
WHAT HAPPENED? The England U21 international forward has emerged as a top target for Premier League heavyweights at Stamford Bridge, with a £45 million ($53m) bid said to have been knocked back. There is still time for another offer to be made, but the Toffees do not expect a home-grown star to go on strike.
WHAT THEY SAID:Lampard said when asked if Gordon may refuse to play as he pushes for a late summer transfer: “Anthony wouldn’t, shouldn’t, couldn’t do that with me. If he did try and sit out a game he’d see a different side to me. No doubt about that and I think he knows that. I’m not playing the hard one, it’s just that it would be so alien from what I’d expect from him. I just know that’s not him.
“At the same time he’s not a robot and all this attention is difficult. I understand that, I was that ambitious young player. That’s the beauty of Anthony. Hard-working. He wants to be better. He wants to do what he did [on Saturday], which is score goals, run for this team, and that’s why he’s a delight to work with. So there was never any idea that Anthony would act that way.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Merseyside native Gordon has taken in 64 appearances for Everton since stepping out of their academy system. He has been deployed as a central striker at times this season during the injury-enforced absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR GORDON? Everton remain reluctant to sell and will want to have Gordon at their disposal when they go in search of a first Premier League win of the season away at Leeds on Tuesday.