Lampard admits ‘business decision’ may decide Gordon’s Everton future

Frank Lampard has reiterated his desire to keep Anthony Gordon but admitted the Everton forward’s future will be decided on both a football and business level.

Everton, who are close to signing attacking midfielder Mohammed Kudus from Ajax, rejected a bid of around £45m from Chelsea for the 21-year-old on Monday and maintain the academy graduate is not for sale. “We are not looking at it as ‘Where can we go with this deal?’” insisted Lampard, who also acknowledged it would be naive to guarantee Gordon will still be an Everton player after the transfer deadline.

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The Everton manager was adamant Gordon was going nowhere when Tottenham and Newcastle inquired about his availability earlier this summer and it remains to be seen whether Chelsea return with an improved offer that tests the resolve at Goodison Park. But Lampard, who has named Gordon in his squad for Saturday’s home game against Nottingham Forest, conceded the boyhood Evertonian’s future will also be influenced by cold business logic.

When asked if he would have the final decision on whether to keep or sell the England under-21 international, Lampard replied: “It has to be a joined-up say so. When you’re talking about the level of player Anthony is and the value of the player, we know what those kind of players go for in the modern day if there was ever to be these sort of transfers.

“It’s a serious situation on a football level and a club business level, simple as that. If you can join those two up and make the right decision, I will always consider the football one the most important because that is what my job will be judged on. Anthony Gordon is a fantastic player for