Chelsea have reportedly been dealt a major blow in their pursuit of Anthony Gordon, who looks set to join Newcastle.
The Blues tried to sign the Everton forward in the summer, but the Toffees resisted their attempts to prise the youngster away from Goodison Park.
Chelsea's best bid of £60m was turned down by Everton towards the end of the transfer window, but they have renewed their interest in Gordon this month.
Graham Potter already has an abundance of forwards at his disposal, but Chelsea were nevertheless considering another swoop for Gordon.
However, the west London outfit look set to miss out on the 21-year-old, who is closing in on a switch to Newcastle.
That is according to a report by the Daily Telegraph, which states that the Magpies are confident of finalising a deal for Gordon in the coming days.
There is still work for them to do, however, with Newcastle yet to agree a fee with Everton and the two clubs thought to be apart in their valuations of the player, who has scored three goals in 16 Premier League appearances this season.
Gordon is under contract until 2025 and Everton will be loath to lose him in the middle of the campaign, but their financial predicament means they could be forced to cash in.
The Toffees are currently on the lookout for a new manager after Frank Lampard was dismissed on Monday following a poor run of form which has left them second-bottom of the Premier League.
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Declan Rice has reportedly agreed to join Arsenal this summer, with the West Ham midfielder also a transfer target for Chelsea.
Chelsea have reopened talks over a move for Enzo Fernandez, whom they were linked with at the start of January.
And the Blues are said to have drawn up a four-player transfer shortlist for the remainder of the winter window.
