Fabrizio Romano has dropped an Everton transfer claim which will please both Frank Lampard and the Premier League club's supporters.
What’s the word?
The Italian journalist tweeted: “No changes on James Tarkowski deal. Medical already completed one week ago, full agreement with Everton on personal terms and agent fees. Official statement pending.”
This is great news for Lampard, and it now seems just a matter of time before the ex-Burnley defender joins up with the Toffees' squad in time for pre-season training.
Tarkowski can improve Everton’s defence
Having endured a tough start to his time in charge at Everton, Lampard managed to guide the club to top-flight safety following a 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace in their penultimate fixture of the season.
This won't be enough to keep the supporters happy, though, and the 43-year-old faces a hugely important first month or so at the start of next season to prove to the fans that he is the right man to take the club forward.
Improvement is needed all over the pitch, especially in defence, as the Toffees conceded 66 goals in the Premier League last term, the fifth-worst record in the division.
With the signing of Tarkowski imminent, he could make a massive difference at the heart of the Everton backline, and that is exactly what Lampard needs.
Despite Burnley’s relegation, the 29-year-old ranked first in the squad with a rating of 6.97 on WhoScored, while also winning an incredible 4.4 aerial duels per match, the most of anyone at Turf Moor in 2021/22.
Compared to positional peers in the top five European leagues, the 29-year-old ranks in the top 1% for blocks (2.67 per 90) and in the top 3% for clearances (6.26 per 90), as per FBRef.
Tarkowski also won 42 tackles last season, more than any Everton centre-back during the same time period; along with winning 171 aerial duels over the course of the campaign, 50 more than Michael Keane, who led the way for Everton.
These figures clearly show that the defender could be a crucial signing for Lampard as the Toffees manager looks to improve on the disappointing 16th-place finish from 2021/22.