Everton could be set to tie down one of their young stars, with Frank Lampard particularly keen to get the deal over the line…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to journalist Simon Phillips, who claims that the 44-year-old is imploring the Goodison Park hierarchy to tie down Anthony Gordon.

This comes after The Telegraph reported that the Toffees were closing in on a new deal for the winger earlier this week.

Phillips told GIVEMESPORT: “Lampard is driving this contract extension. I’m sure that it’ll be done now because of Lampard. Gordon sees staying at Everton as probably the best thing for him to do right now. 

“I’m sure Lampard will get that one done and dusted. There’s no recent Chelsea interest to worry about.”

Barkley disaster

Although it may seem like a good deal on the surface to tie down an asset who had plenty of suitors in the summer, eventually the Toffees could end up in a similar position to when they lost Ross Barkley in 2018.

The now 29-year-old had broken through at Goodison Park to devastating effect, reaching a peak during the 2015/16 season where he recorded 12 goals and 11 assists in all competitions. As such, the club saw fit to slap a £50m price tag on their star player and boyhood blue a few years following.

However, in the summer of 2017, Everton would turn down a £25m offer for Barkley from Stamford Bridge, only for him to then join Chelsea for little more than half that price the following January, much to the dismay of many Evertonians.

The early signs do show a similar path with Gordon, who had a reported £45m bid rejected last summer by Everton.

This offer comes for a player who, despite being hailed as an “absolute beast” by journalist Jeff Walner,  has hardly set the Premier League alight, having had far less impact on his team than Barkley did under David Moyes, Roberto Martinez and Ronald Koeman.

The 21-year-old scored four goals and set up just two all season, and he only has three goals in the current campaign after 14 matches.

Tying down key assets is often regarded as a smart move, but considering Gordon's lack of output, it could see him tethered to the club on a lengthy big-money contract.

CIES Football Observatory only values him at €30m (£26m), which suggests that Everton should have taken the money in the summer. Given how it ended with Barkley, they will wish they had done so in that situation too.

Hopefully this doesn't up being a replica of what happened with the former Toffees gem five years ago.