Newcastle United are hoping for a transfer breakthrough in their pursuit of Anthony Gordon after the player made it clear he wants the move to St James' Park.
Everton played down his absence from training yesterday but as a routine arrangement but there was no such defence of the player tonight as he stayed away from the club's Finch Farm training ground. With more high-level talks planned at Goodison Park, the deal is set to boil down to what the Toffees now see as an acceptable asking price.
Gordon has told his people that he is open to joining Newcastle and admires Eddie Howe's work as boss. And sporting director Dan Ashworth regards Gordon as one of the top young players in the Premier League.
And the key new development on Merseyside this evening is that Everton are pretty much resigned to the fact he will leave in the next few days. Toon boss Eddie Howe has maintained a veil of silence on the deal and has spent the day being brought up to speed on the negotiations having spent the last two days preparing for Southampton.
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Well-placed sources have indicated that they now feel that Gordon and his representatives are attempting to force the issues. And any hopes of the player landing a new deal - which was discussed last season - have now effectively evaporated.
Everton are unhappy with the way the Gordon saga has unfolded but they are also getting kicked hard when they are down. Having watched Villarreal's Arnaut Danjuma pass a medical and declare his excitement at playing for the Toffees, he made an 11th hour decision to turn his back on them and join Tottenham Hotspur.
With Everton in the relegation zone the last thing they need is their local lad walking away from the club but Newcastle's determination to add him to their ranks is clear. The coming hours and days will be about how much Everton are prepared to accept and how a possible deal will be structured.
United feel a deal of £40million should be enough to lure the forward but Everton may yet hold out for more. They valued him at over £60million last season when Spurs came calling.
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