Anthony Gordon has missed three days of training; Newcastle held talks with Everton over signing the forward, who has not handed in a formal transfer request; it is thought a bid of around £40m could tempt Everton to sell
Friday 27 January 2023 10:03, UK
Anthony Gordon, who is a January transfer target for Newcastle, has failed to turn up to Everton training for a third day in a row.
The forward missed training on Tuesday with a planned absence - as did Amadou Onana. But while Onana returned to training on Wednesday, Gordon was not present and did not appear at the club's Finch Farm training ground on Thursday either.
Sky Sports News understands Gordon has not put in an official transfer request.
Gordon is the subject of a potential £40m move with Newcastle believed to be the frontrunners to sign him. The Champions League contenders have held talks over a move as they look to replace Chris Wood, who joined Nottingham Forest last week.
Although not a like-for-like replacement, Newcastle see Gordon as a player who can operate in a number of positions across the front line.
Newcastle were rebuffed with an inquiry in the summer but have retained an interest. It is thought the bid of around £40m could tempt Everton to sell.
Complicating the move somewhat is Everton's managerial situation - Frank Lampard was sacked on Monday and any new incumbent may want to keep Gordon.
During the summer transfer window, Chelsea conducted high-level talks with Everton over Gordon's availability.
He was then seen as one of Thomas Tuchel's top targets and Chelsea were prepared to pay £60m to bring him to Stamford Bridge.
Gordon has 18 months remaining on his current contract at Goodison Park.
The news on Gordon comes after Tottenham signed Villarreal forward Arnaut Danjuma on loan until the end of the season.
Danjuma had been expected to sign for Everton on a similar deal after an agreement was reached at the weekend, but Spurs hijacked the move.
The addition of the versatile Netherlands forward would boost Tottenham's options in attack, with Heung-Min Son, Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison and Lucas Moura all experiencing injury issues this season.
Danjuma spent two years playing in England with Bournemouth and, while he starred in the Championship, he struggled in the Premier League, failing to score in 14 top-flight appearances.
A switch to Villarreal in 2021 proved successful, with Danjuma playing a key role in their run to the Champions League semi-finals, scoring 16 goals in all competitions for the La Liga outfit.
Opportunities have been more limited for Danjuma this season after a muscle problem disrupted the early part of his campaign, and a return to England is close to being finalised with Tottenham.
Who will be on the move this winter? The January transfer window opens on Sunday January 1, 2023 and closes at 11pm on Tuesday January 31, 2023.
Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports' digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.
