Everton have struck gold by appointing Frank Lampard, a manager who has not only improved the performances of the first team but has an eye for young talent that have become superstars in their own right.

Reece James, Mason Mount, Tariq Lamptey and Marc Guehi are just some of the hottest young English prospects the former Chelsea boss gave Premier League debuts to when he was managing the squad at Stamford Bridge.

James and Mount have gone on to be regular England internationals featuring in the squad that were the first to reach an international final since 1966 last year at the Euros, and both played a crucial part in Chelsea's Champions League victory just six months after Lampard was sacked.

As a result, the promising prospects in the Everton academy on Merseyside will surely be hoping that they can become the manager's next big breakthrough and there is one youth player in particular who could be Lampard's next Mount.

Everton U21 star Charlie Whitaker signed a brand new contract yesterday, agreeing a three-year deal that keeps him at the club until June 2025.

The talented attacking midfielder - who was dubbed an "undoubted talent" by Kevin Thelwell - name-dropped Lampard as one of his inspirations for the way he plays upon signing his extension on Tuesday:

“As a kid, Frank Lampard was someone I looked up to and to learn from him now has been terrific."

Just like Mount, Whitaker is an attacking midfielder with an eye for goal and a creative mindset that allows him to be a versatile threat in his advanced role on the pitch.

The 19-year-old has scored 20 goals and registered nine assists over his 64 appearances across the Everton U18s and U21s with a goal contribution every 154 minutes.

This season over his three appearances in the EFL Trophy, Whitaker has been a standout performer, scoring one goal and delivering one assist, as well as averaging 2.7 tackles, 2.3 key passes and 2.7 shots per game, proving that he is becoming a player Lampard will struggle to ignore as he continues to flourish.

Whitaker is comfortable operating in all three positions across the front three as well as the attacking midfield role and could be the perfect answer to Everton's much-needed refresh in the forward line and has already had the opportunity to train with the first team on many occasions.

With that being said, the future is looking bright for Whitaker and if he continues to flourish in the Everton U21s and first-team training sessions, there is no doubt that the talented midfielder will catch Lampard's eye in no time at all.