Frank Lampard's Everton exit is unlikely to prevent the sale of Anthony Gordon - IF the price is right on the 21-year-old.
Regardless of the search for a new manager, transfer business is going on behind the scenes without a permanent boss in the hotseat. Paul Tait and Leighton Baines have been placed in caretaker charge at Goodison Park but won't have any say on transfers.
Lampard was sacked by the Toffees on Monday after a disastrous run of results that saw Everton plummet to the relegation zone of the Premier League. The ex-England star had previously put up a fight to keep Gordon and while Everton supremo Bill Kenwright does not want to sell the forward, there is an inevitability about the Kirkdale-born player's exit, either this month or in the summer.
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Gordon was told he wasn't allowed to leave in the summer but there have been discussions between the player and his representatives about a possible exit for a fee between £35m-£40m. And Chelsea - who were in for Gordon in the summer - are believed to be back in the running.
Newcastle have kept their counsel on Gordon talk with Eddie Howe refusing to confirm any interest when asked today. The next few days could well be a case of seeing how keen Chelsea really are on Gordon with United not wanting to get into a bidding war.
Were they to be the last club standing for Gordon at the end of the window and their price deemed suitable to relegation-haunted Everton, it could tick all the boxes for Newcastle. With just a week left of the window there is also the possibility of a back-up right-back arriving and West Ham youngster Harrison Ashby remains on the Toon wish-list.
Chronicle Live understands that Gordon has been impressed by the job that Howe has done since arriving in late 2021 and sporting director Dan Ashworth has the respect of the Goodison Park star's representatives.
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