Everton will reportedly look to rival Leeds United in their conquest to seal the signature of thriving defender Maximilian Wober.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, via TEAMtalk, stated that Leeds were preparing a bid for the versatile colossus, before BBC Sport followed up the reports to state that despite Leeds’ concrete interest, Everton were snooping around for the RB Salzburg ace’s service.

Romano said: “Leeds United are preparing an offer for Red Bull Salzburg defender Maximilian Wober. Discussions are expected to take place for a fee of around €11m plus €5m in add-ons. Wober, an important player for Salzburg as he’s the captain.”

While the Toffees have their first-choice centre-back pairing solidified in Conor Coady and James Tarkowski, the utility depth surrounding the situation runs very thin indeed, and Wober could be the perfect shrewd acquisition to bolster the position and inject some stability and leadership.

Ditch Keane

The perennial Premier League Toffees currently sit just one point and one place above the relegation zone having played 16 matches, and face a fight to stave off the threat of the unthinkable demotion to the EFL Championship once again, having secured their top-flight status last season after a fine run of results in the culminating weeks.

This summer, Lampard looked at the shoddy defence - conceding 66 goals last term - and gave the defensive box a fresh sheen, with the Merseyside outfit's 19 goals shipped the lowest tally of any side outside the top-nine.

Regardless, Yerry Mina and Michael Keane are both considered expendable, and are not expected to be plying their trade at Goodison Park upon the turn of the football season.

And with Ben Godfrey, promising young defender that he is, ridden with injury issues - missing 16 matches this season - someone of Wober's ilk would greatly bolster the Blues' backline as they seek to navigate away from danger once again.

The 24-year-old Wober is a defender flourishing both as a marauder down the left and a titan at the centre, also captaining Salzburg; making 21 appearances this term, he has scored two goals and registered six assists - including one against Chelsea in the Champions League.

He would provide reliable cover with a vibrant approach to his play, with Lampard also acting to steal the "real leader" away from the clutches of a divisional rival - with the Lilywhites also seeking to ease the fears of relegation, perched just one point above Everton in 15th place.

Lampard must swoop, and kill two birds with one stone; fortification of the shallow defensive ranks and pipping a rival to the signing of an exciting star.