Everton have already made five signings this summer in their pursuit to improve their Premier League form following a difficult relegation scrap last season, and now a new potential transfer target has been revealed by a reliable source.

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According to Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Everton are interested in Manchester United midfielder James Garner.

Romano tweeted:

"Everton and Southampton are both showing interest in James Garner. No agreement/decision made, but he’s expected to leave Manchester United in the next days."

The perfect Doucoure heir

Frank Lampard will be desperate to improve his team even further over the remaining days of the transfer window after failing to win a league game so far, and Garner could be the perfect signing to bolster the midfield talent for years ahead.

The Toffees current central midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure is recovering from a hamstring injury at the moment which has inevitably weakened the midfield presence at Goodison Park, but with the 29-year-old spending over 100 days on the injury table in 2021 it could be time to start thinking about bringing in a fresh pair of legs.

It was recently revealed that Man United were finally ready to let go of their rising star in the centre of the pitch, with a £14m price tag slapped on James Garner last week, so it could be the perfect opportunity for Lampard to freshen up his midfield if the powers at Goodison Park can seal a deal.

The 21-year-old spent last season on loan with Nottingham Forest in the Championship and was a stand-out performer in his central midfield role for the Reds, contributing to their outstanding journey to promotion to the Premier League this summer.

Over 41 appearances, the young talent scored four goals, delivered eight assists and created seven big chances, made two key passes, 1.8 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and won 3.9 duels per game, as well as being successful in completing 58% of his dribbles and an 81% pass completion rate, displaying his diverse set of both attacking and defensive skills.

Doucoure's strengths are mainly found in his tackling ability (2.79 per 90) and talents in pressuring his opponents (23.54 per 90), but his skill set is limited with the player weaker in progressing the ball and completing passes, so the introduction of Garner into the team will give Lampard a player with versatility and a more complete performer.

With that being said, the signing of Garner would be a major coup for Everton and if Lampard can continue to polish the young player's talents on Merseyside it could be one of the most important pieces of business the club will make this summer, in terms of the potential for the future.