Frank Lampard eyes four signings to kickstart Everton reign – but must choose between two
Frank Lampard will be the next manager of Everton – and a report has revealed four signings he is already hoping to make.
Everton recently offered Lampard the manager’s job after the dismissal of Rafael Benitez. Reports indicate that talks were quick and successful and that he has agreed to take charge.
It will mark his return to management after a year out of the game following his sacking by Chelsea. Now, he has a big challenge ahead of him to steer Everton back towards where they belong.
Lampard will be given a two-and-a-half-year contract on Merseyside. Paul Clement will be his assistant. And although the appointment should be made official on deadline day, there could yet be time for Everton to work on late signings.
They have already brought in Vitaliy Mykolenko, Nathan Patterson and Anwar El Ghazi this month. Further business has been on hold until the appointment of a new manager.
With Lampard now in place, there could be a final flourish in the winter market. According to the Daily Mirror, Everton are eyeing deals for a quartet of players.
They have supposedly secured a deal in principle to take Donny van de Beek on loan from Manchester United.
Also of interest for their midfield is Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur, but they are only allowed to make one more Premier League loan signing on top of Aston Villa-owned El Ghazi. Therefore, they must pick between van de Beek and Alli unless one can join permanently.
Lampard offered Everton role by default
He was on their shortlist, but is the others dropping out the only reason he got the job in the end?
They can still make loan signings from overseas, though. Interestingly, the Mirror mention Idrissa Gueye as an option.
Gueye used to play for Everton before moving to Paris Saint-Germain, who could now return him to sender until the end of the season. However, it is difficult because he is still away for the African Cup of Nations.
Whichever way Everton can strengthen their midfield, they could still have other areas to address. The report concludes that Lampard will also want a new defender, but no names are mentioned.
Everton appointment of Lampard questioned
Lampard now has a big task ahead of him to rebuild Everton. But the club’s decision to use him as the foundation has been questioned in itself.
The former England midfielder has split opinion in his coaching career so far. He led Derby County to the Championship play-offs before taking the Chelsea job.
Lampard earned plaudits for developing young players, but honours have been lacking.
Pundit Tony Cascarino therefore thinks Lampard doesn’t necessarily deserve the chance Everton are giving him.
“What manager in the Championship coming sixth would get the Chelsea job? Absolutely nobody,” he told talkSPORT. “He’s been given it because he is a legend at Chelsea, rightly so, under difficult circumstances with the embargo and having to nurture a [young] team.
“But when he left, I think they were ninth in the table, and this not a very nice line to use but I’ll say it because I thought about it, and thought, he’s the manager with a silver spoon in his mouth, because a lot has happened for Frank because of how good he was as a player.
“He hasn’t earned his stripes as in what he’s achieved to be Chelsea manager or Everton manager – they were circumstances.
“One of them at Chelsea, being a legend at the football club, and this isn’t anything like sticking pins in Frank. This is just factual stuff, this is what I’m coming from.”
Lampard therefore has some people to prove wrong and will be hoping to add some players to help him.
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