Everton will need a solid summer transfer window if they are to massively improve on their disappointing 16th-placed finish in last season’s Premier League.

Frank Lampard will be under pressure to get things right and transform the mentality at the club after what has been an underwhelming few months at Goodison Park.

There are signs that the club is moving in the right direction, with Lampard reportedly sealing the signing of defender James Tarkowski; and with interest in Keane Lewis-Potter and Chelsea trio Armando Broja, Conor Gallagher and Levi Colwill, it looks set to be a busy summer on the blue half of Merseyside.

It could even get better for the Toffees, who are linked with a move for Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos according to Le10Sport. The French outlet claimed that Everton are keen on the Vasco da Gama player, despite interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.

The Brazilian could be a major upgrade on compatriot Allan, who ranked 18th in the Everton squad last term with a WhoScored rating of 6.50 after a litany of underwhelming performances. Also, with the ex-Napoli midfielder now 31, perhaps it's time that Lampard moved him on.

A move for Santos might appear risky, especially since he is only 18 years old. However, since making the step up to the Vasco de Gama senior squad, he has played 12 times in all competitions, scoring once.

With the Brazilian club reportedly listening to offers for their teenage sensation, Everton could seal the move for only €8m (£6.8m).

This would represent a bargain for Lampard and the Toffees, although the interest from PSG and Barcelona could suggest that Everton are further down the pecking order. However, they could offer the 18-year-old a better chance at regular first-team football.

Journalist Rodrigo Coutinho praised the Brazilian teenager, saying: “Andrey Santos will be a great midfield player”, a glowing appraisal for someone who is so young and virtually untested in the senior game.

Maybe Lampard needs to take a few risks in the transfer market to reinvigorate his squad, and if he makes the move for Santos, it could pay off massively for Everton over the coming months and years.

It's time to forget about the underperforming Allan and look to the future with Santos instead.

AND in other news, Contact made: Everton in talks to sign “untouchable” £18m-rated gem, Lampard would love him