Everton are currently 11th in the Premier League table following a fantastic start to the season under Frank Lampard, and the Toffees boss will be hoping his team can continue their momentum and confidence over the coming months ahead.

Indeed, it is no secret that the Toffees struggled with multiple problems last season. It ultimately led to a difficult relegation scrap at the bottom of the table with injuries to key players playing a huge role in the demise at Goodison Park, tallying up the worst injury record in the top flight.

One player who was in and out of the team, and has continued to struggle with injuries going into this season is midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure, and it may be time for Lampard to start considering what the future could look like in the most central positions on the pitch.

Everton don't need to look far or spend millions of pounds adding more options to their midfield positions as they already have a rising star who has been impressive in the Merseysiders' U21s.

Sean McAllister is a midfielder, who like Doucoure can play in a holding role or more offensively, and has been proving he has a lot to offer when his golden opportunity finally arrives at Goodison Park. With his attributes in mind, he could be the perfect player to add depth without the need to spend a penny.

The talented 19-year-old has been thriving in the U18s and U21s at the club, scoring 16 goals and delivering 11 assists over 61 appearances. That marks a goal contribution every 151 minutes which is impressive for a young midfielder.

McAllister is currently the highest-rated player in Everton's U21 team according to SofaScore, and it comes as no surprise when you look at his performance against Morecambe in the EFL Trophy at the end of August.

The youngster, who was dubbed a "great athlete" by Dungannon Swifts youth chief Dixie Robinson, scored one goal, delivered one assist, made one key pass and won an eye-catching six duels.

That was as well as completing 60% of his dribble attempts too, proving that he is clearly a huge presence on the pitch, something that earned him a new contract in the summer.

Kevin Thelwell lavished praise on McAllister after the midfielder penned his new deal:

"Sean has a lot of the key elements you require as a midfielder – technical ability, energy, composure and a strong work-ethic– and we are looking forward to helping him continue to progress."

With that being said, the future is looking really bright for McAllister at Goodison Park and Lampard will surely be keeping a close eye on the talented youth player as he progresses over the coming months.

Indeed, he could be the perfect player to add a fresh perspective in midfield and eventually replace Doucoure's presence in the squad.