Everton fans are desperate to see more incoming transfers at the club, but instead the narrative of the window right now is circling around another potential departure.
Anthony Gordon has been the name in many headlines in recent days and weeks as Chelsea reportedly continue their pursuit of the Blues winger. Other outlets, including football.london, have also suggested that Tottenham Hotspur maintain an interest in the 21-year-old as well having made enquiries about him last month.
There's been talk of potential bids of up to £60m in some reports, with The Times on Monday evening particularly suggesting that Thomas Tuchel's side are growing in confidence that they can get a deal done this week. The recent removal of "Everton" from Gordon's Twitter bio also raised a few eyebrows to begin the week.
READ MORE: Everton must avoid 'lazy' transfer policy with Anthony Gordon exit conditions clear
READ MORE: Chelsea 'prepared to pay £60m' for Everton winger Anthony Gordon
But, as things stand at the time of writing at least, the official word is that there haven't been more talks or any new bids made for the winger. Everton have maintained their stance throughout the summer that their academy graduate is not for sale, although it's yet to be seen what potential price might be able to swing that in the near future.
Regardless, this is a pivotal point for the likes of Kevin Thelwell, Frank Lampard and the rest of the club's hierarchy. There might be nine days left of the transfer window, but they can't allow this to turn into any more of a protracted saga.
Even with Gordon still considered in the Everton squad, they are desperate for additions of quality and depth in those forward areas of the pitch. A reliable back-up and challenge for Dominic Calvert-Lewin is pivotal, and more goals from the wide positions could be key over the course of the campaign as well.
Gordon has had his sights set on improving those numbers throughout the summer and it's something both he and his manager have confidence he can achieve. If he is to stay at Goodison Park, his ability to rack up more goals and assists will be important for his side's attacking chances.
But, if he is to leave the club, then you'd argue there's another body that the recruitment team need to bring in. And that's before you even consider the potential fee involved.
The money that's being rumoured can't be ignored. Everton are a club that have been balancing their need to strengthen with their financial insecurity throughout the course of the summer so far, and a huge injection of cash could go some way to solving those problems.
However, even then there would be a catch. If the Blues recoup a large fee for Gordon, then suddenly their quest for a replacement becomes more expensive - selling clubs aren't stupid and they will know that suddenly Everton will have money to spend, fuelled by a desperate urge to avoid the same disappointments of last season.
The longer that they potentially wait in making a decision over this, the more risky it becomes to let their winger go towards the back end of a hectic transfer window. Selling Gordon only makes sense if the right replacements are brought in to the club, they can't afford to potentially miss out.
So while there might be a good few days left of the transfer window, realistically Everton need to set their own deadline in this sense. Even if there haven't been bids yet, the club will be well aware of just how much interest there is in Gordon's services right now.
If a club doesn't arrive with a suitable offer by a certain date and time, then they must definitively say that any move is off the table. They can't afford to potentially run out of time in finding a replacement for someone who has become one of the most popular and influential players at the club.
The player himself is not the type to sulk or to be pushing to leave the Blues. Of course there would be a willingness to listen to offers from the likes of Chelsea and Spurs, why wouldn't there be? If he decides that is the best move for his career, then you won't find many on Merseyside arguing or wishing him anything but well for the future.
Then it comes down to Thewell, Lampard and the recruitment team - can they prove themselves to be ultimately different to the transfer failings that have plagued Everton in the past? That will be a real test for them. Farhad Moshiri wanted the club to be judged at the end of the transfer window, of course.
These are all discussions for another time, though. Right now, it's all about making sure this "saga" doesn't drag on into dangerous territory for Everton.
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