Everton need to sell Anthony Gordon to free up late January funds for new manager
Everton need to sell winger Anthony Gordon this month to free up some late January funds for a new manager, according to The Telegraph.
The Toffees star has been heavily linked with a move to Newcastle in the past few days, with CBS journalist Ben Jacobs (25 January) reporting the two parties are in advanced talks over a deal.
The Telegraph believes Everton had been hoping for a deal worth up to £60million, however, they have been forced to drop their valuation in order to free up some quick funds for a new manager.
The report (Thursday 26 January) said: “Everton need to sell Gordon to free up funds for the club’s next manager to spend over the final days of the transfer window, although it is unlikely the club will be able to reinvest all of the cash generated because of Financial Fair Play issues.”
Manic days ahead
The news that Gordon’s sale is necessary to allow further transfer activity won’t surprise Everton fans, although how low the club has stooped in the last week will.
Following the sacking of Frank Lampard, it was thought there would be a clear direction the club wanted to move in, but so far, it has been a shambles.
If Gordon were to leave, do you really trust the board to get a manager and the necessary replacements all into the club before next Tuesday’s 11 pm cutoff?
Even if the Toffees were able to pinpoint a target who met their needs, the club will likely be held to ransom over the price considering their desperate situation, and this could lead to further financial insecurity.
It seems unlikely that transfers for a Premier League standard centre-forward, a replacement winger and a central midfielder could all be successfully completed before the end of the month.
The fallthrough of Arnaut Danjuma’s transfer to Goodison Park highlights that Everton isn’t the most desirable destination for an ambitious player, so the club will have to hope the new manager can attract some quality in the coming days.