Former Premier League striker and Sky Sports pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has been left shocked by Anthony Gordon's reported wage demands at Everton.
The Lowdown: £100,000 per week?!
It has been reported that the Goodison Park outfit are struggling to agree on new contract terms for Gordon, with talks reaching an impasse of late.
They want to tie him down after strong interest from Chelsea in the summer, with his current deal in Merseyside set to expire in 2025.
However, Gordon is thought to be demanding £100,000-per-week if he is to sign.
The Latest: Agbonlahor shocked
Speaking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor was left shocked when hearing of Gordon's demands, even going as far as to call them 'crazy':
“I don’t feel he has (warranted those wages).
“This is the problem with football at the moment. These crazy contracts are being thrown out to players that haven’t done enough.
“How many goals does he have in the Premier League? How many assists has he got?
“Because he’s had some good games where he shows energy and commitment, is that enough for £100,000-a-week? I don’t think it is.
“Football is a bit crazy now. Footballers are being average and getting these crazy contracts.
“Everton will look at and think that because they want to keep him and other teams are after him, they’ve got no choice.”
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The Verdict: Too much
As per FBRef, Gordon is currently on £10,000-per-week at the Toffees, and while he does deserve a wage increase, giving the 21-year-old ten times as much would be irresponsible.
There are only two players earning six-figure salaries for Frank Lampard's team at the moment, and they have to be careful with offering big contracts without upsetting the dressing room.
Of course, Gordon is home-grown and so the club will want to keep him for as long as possible, but he has only managed six goals and eight assists in 70 games for the Blues (Transfermarkt), hardly warranting such a huge salary.
Nonetheless, both parties need to come to a form of middle ground, so that Gordon does get the wage increase he deserves and does not leave the club without them banking a huge profit in the process.