Chelsea have reportedly approached Everton with a £40m bid for attacker Anthony Gordon.
The 21-year-old has come through the Goodison Park youth ranks to become a prominent member of Frank Lampard's first-team squad and impressed in the 2021-22 season.
Gordon contributed to Everton's survival with four goals and two assists in 35 Premier League appearances and has played the full 90 in both of Everton's opening fixtures so far this term.
The England Under-21 international is still waiting for his first goal involvement of the new season, though, as his strike in Saturday's defeat to Aston Villa was chalked off for offside.
Gordon's rise has understandably attracted the attention of other Premier League clubs, who are hoping to test the Toffees' resolve amid fears of another relegation dogfight.
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Tottenham Hotspur were previously linked with a move for the attacker, but Everton were not willing to let both Gordon and Richarlison leave for North London.
Newcastle United are also said to have taken a liking to Gordon and are supposedly preparing a fresh offer for the youngster after seeing an opening bid knocked back.
Now, Sky Sports News reports that Chelsea have also joined the race for the Everton man and have already tabled a £40m bid for his services, although Everton also rebuffed their advances.
The report adds that while Everton insist that their academy graduate will be going nowhere this summer, Chelsea are still in negotiations with the club over a possible move.
A bid of £50m could potentially be enough for Everton to part ways with Gordon, who was previously on the books at Liverpool's academy before leaving for Goodison Park in 2012.
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Gordon has amassed a total of four goals and eight assists in 62 appearances for Everton since rising through their youth ranks and also won the 2018-19 Premier League 2 title with Everton's Under-21s.
Chelsea have already reinforced their wide attacking ranks with the capture of Raheem Sterling from Manchester City, but the Blues allowed Timo Werner to return to RB Leipzig permanently.
A central striker is thought to be Thomas Tuchel's top priority for the remainder of the window, and Gordon has featured at the tip of the attack for Everton in their opening two fixtures this term.
The Blues continue to be linked with a move for Barcelona's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Tuchel talked up his relationship with the ex-Arsenal man ahead of Sunday's fiery London derby draw with Tottenham Hotspur.
Chelsea have supposedly been given the green light by Barcelona to make a move for Aubameyang, but the 33-year-old is keen to stay and fight for his place in the Blaugrana XI following the arrival of Robert Lewandowski.
Ben Knapton
