Benitez spent just six months at the Toffees as his controversial appointment quickly fell apart before he was replaced by Frank Lampard who much like Benitez, did not last long in the role. The Spanish manager discussed Gordon’s development for a package around Newcastle United for TNT and revealed how he helped the 24-year-old reach the heights he is at now.
"He's a nice lad and a good professional. We discovered he had some issues with his stamina. Then we worked on that.
"At this time he could make the sprints but he couldn't recover properly. We started working with him and I remember he had to go with the Under-21s. As soon as he improved that, he was going with the national team.
"The point was that he was very fast, but he couldn't recover. We started working on his stamina without losing his pace, that is the main thing.
"I will tell you again, I remember speaking with the people at Everton, they told me 'you never know' and he has been improving his work rate all these years and it's getting better and better."
Gordon has since moved to Newcastle under manager Eddie Howe who has again transformed the young forward into the star he is today. After making an impact at the Euros in 2024, new England manager Thomas Tuchel could be looking at Gordon once again as he prepares for the World Cup qualifiers.