Everton

Everton

Premier League • England

Lampard influence already being felt, as critical role in Everton transfer revealed

Frank Lampard former Chelsea manager at Stamford Bridge

Everton already have one thing to thank new manager Frank Lampard for after his role in their January transfer activity was revealed.

Lampard was appointed as the new Everton manager on deadline day to replace Rafael Benitez. By the end of his first day in charge, the squad he inherited was bolstered by two new arrivals.

Everton completed the signings of Dele Alli and Donny van de Beek from Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United respectively before the January transfer window shut. The former arrived on a permanent deal and the latter on loan.

They joined earlier January signings Vitaliy Mykolenko, Nathan Patterson and Anwar El Ghazi through the Goodison Park entrance door.

And Lampard was instrumental in the acquisition of van de Beek in particular, it has now come to light.

According to Voetbal Primeur in the player’s native Netherlands, the new manager personally phoned his new recruit to convince him to make the move.

Van de Beek had been stuck at Man Utd for 18 months; he only managed four Premier League starts among 50 appearances in all competitions. Everton tried to rescue him in the summer without success.

Lampard improving Everton in one day

Lampard improving Everton in one day

Not even a full day in the job and Lampard was on the case, making two signings.

But Lampard’s intervention meant they got the deal over the line at the second time of asking.

Voetbal Primeur predict van de Beek will find himself in a favourable situation at Everton compared to what he was going through in Manchester. He should be further up Lampard’s hierarchy than he was for either Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Ralf Rangnick at Old Trafford.

Man Utd midfielder Donny Van de Beek straight straight forward while wearing his training kit 2021

Therefore, the next six months could be crucial for the 24-year-old to get his career back on track.

Lampard tipped to oversee van de Beek position modification

And he could do so from a different position than the one he was deployed in for United.

Dutch journalist Peter Zwart recently claimed: “If you look at that selection of Everton, you see Lampard is going to be the new manager there. Well then I have to add things up.

“In the past, Lampard mostly played 4-2-3-1. He played different formations, but it was mostly 4-2-3-1 looking at the selections.

“So I think really, there is no other number 10. So basically if Lampard is going to play his favourite system, Donny van de Beek will be the 10.”

Everton have also signed Alli, though. So they could be competing for a similar position.

READ MOREFormer Man Utd man backs Van de Beek to show Solskjaer, Rangnick up amid glaring tactical failure