The Athletic journalist Greg O’Keeffe has dropped a big Everton transfer update that’ll leave Frank Lampard scrambling.

What’s the word?

The news comes surrounding defender Anthony Gordon, with O’Keeffe tweeting: “Frank Lampard might draw the line at the prospect of an Anthony Gordon exit – but Spurs aren’t the only club circling.”

This news will come at a time when Tottenham are looking to sign both Gordon and Richarlison in a joint £85m deal, but Lampard wants to keep the 21-year-old winger as he plans for the future.

Lampard aims to keep Gordon

Following a campaign that saw Everton narrowly avoid relegation from the Premier League, there were very few players who performed well during what can only be described as a disappointing season and one that the Goodison faithful won’t want to go through again.

Gordon averaged a decent WhoScored rating of 6.70, ranking him in ninth place in the Toffees squad but it is his extraordinary potential that will have Lampard worried that a bigger team will manage to prise him away from Merseyside this summer.

With Richarlison looking increasingly likely to leave the club, Dominic Calvert-Lewin struggling with injury problems last season, and Salamon Rondon looking like a more terrible signing every passing day, Gordon represents the future of Everton’s attack.

The 44-year-old is convinced that the youngster can be important to the team going forward, saying: “I’ve been really impressed. From afar he looks a very talented young player who clearly has a strong connection with the fans.”

This praise should convince Gordon that his future lies at Everton and first-team opportunities will be much easier to come by compared to joining Spurs.

Gordon scored four goals and notched two assists over 35 Premier League fixtures last season, and his stats compared to Everton’s main goalscoring threat, Richarlison were surprising.

The Englishman generated more shot-creating actions than his more illustrious teammate (2.88 to 2.21) while also boasting a higher percentage of shots on target (43.2% to 28.6%) and delivering over double the number of crosses into the opposition box to Richarlison (71 to 29).

The supporters won’t want Gordon to leave and these stats prove that he has the potential to be a key part of what will surely be a new-look Everton from next season, while his sale would undoubtedly leave Lampard scrambling to find a ready-made replacement in the summer transfer window.

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