It's fair to say that Frank Lampard’s time at Everton so far has been one of strife, with the club narrowly avoiding relegation thanks to a stunning 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace in their penultimate Premier League clash.
This isn’t a season that the Everton faithful will remember with any degree of satisfaction, and it should be confined to a locked box with the key thrown in the Mersey, with the manager facing a crucial summer transfer window ahead.
Poor recruitment might put an end to the 43-year-olds reign at the club, but there is time for him to bring in the players he needs and axe the ones that have underperformed.
One such player that should be leaving the club is Salomon Rondon. Last summer, the striker joined the club on a free transfer but hasn’t hit the heights required, netting just three times all season. Former Everton defender Michael Ball dubbed him as a “problem” earlier in the season and from his goalscoring stats, it’s clear to see why.
Lampard urgently needs to improve his attacking options, with Richarlison (11) being the club’s highest scorer this season.
There could be a solution however, with the club linked with New York City striker Valentin Castellanos, Lampard may have found a saviour to his attacking woes.
Ronny Deila hailed the Argentinian frontman as “top class” following a season in which he won the MLS golden boot with 22 goals, more than the other Everton strikers put together in the league.
Scoring goals isn’t his only strength either, as he provided eight assists during the MLS season as well as creating a further eight big chances for his teammates.
The player certainly looks like an upgrade on the £43k-per-week Rondon and despite the Venezuelan striker having another year left on his current contract, Lampard should be making a concrete effort to add Castellanos to his squad ahead of next season.