Newcastle United have the joint-fourth biggest squad in the Premier League as things stand, with Eddie Howe having 29 senior players at his disposal.
One player in the squad that has not been a particularly prominent figure in the team, especially in recent weeks, is Ryan Fraser.
Specifically, with just eight appearances and three league starts to his name in this campaign, the 28-year-old has not featured for the Magpies since October.
With a report from The Athletic earlier this month claiming that the Tyneside club are looking to move the winger out of St. James’ Park before the January transfer window closes, one player that Newcastle have been linked with that we feel could be a potential replacement for the Scotsman is Anthony Gordon.
Having made 138 appearances for the Merseyside club across their senior and youth sides, the 21-year-old has scored 31 goals and delivered 18 assists in the process.
Praised for his “outstanding” performances in the past by journalist David Cartlidge, the Englishman has shown this season how important he is for the Toffees on and off the ball.
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For example, as well as having more shots on target (16) than any other player at Everton, the winger also has the second-highest number of successful tackles (22) at the club.
With that in mind, it’s easy to see why the Toffees youngster has caught the attention of Newcastle and why they would be keen on signing him as a potential long-term replacement for Fraser.
Bearing in mind how the Toon have Matt Ritchie set to see his contract at St. James’ Park expire at the end of the season, this suggests that he could also be on his way out in the near future like Fraser.
This would further Newcastle’s need to bring in a young winger like Gordon to replace either Fraser or Ritchie.
Moving forward, with Everton facing a battle to avoid getting relegated, the possibility of joining Howe’s side and being involved in a race to secure Champions League football would surely be something the Everton star considers.