Everton have identified Manchester United youngster James Garner as their top target ahead of Thursday’s transfer deadline, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein.
The Lowdown: Loan success
The 21-year-old spent last season on loan at Nottingham Forest, where he played a crucial part in their emphatic promotion to the Premier League.
The defensive midfielder made a whopping 44 appearances in the Championship, bagging himself four goals and eight assists – incredibly averaging his side’s highest match rating, with a 7.26 score across the campaign.
The Latest: Everton interest
According to Ornstein’s latest report for The Athletic, in addition to Idrissa Gueye from Paris Saint-Germain, Everton have identified Garner as their top target to sign before the transfer window’s closure.
It is said that the Toffees are waiting on Manchester United to engage in talks before they can proceed with negotiations.
Frank Lampard wants to secure two or three more additions before Thursday evening; ideally adding another midfielder and a striker or a wide forward to his squad.
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The Verdict: Great potential
Hailed by journalist George Smith for his ‘outstanding’ loan spell at Forest last season, the midfielder’s statistics clearly illustrate his potential to succeed at the top level.
As per WhoScored, the 21-year-old dominated the middle of the park last season, averaging 1.9 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 1.2 dribbles per game.
Passing-wise, he further contributed an impressive 2 key passes, 1.6 crosses and 1.5 long balls per match – illustrating his all-round ability to dictate a game's tempo.
Therefore, if Everton can secure the youngster on a long-term contract or even just a loan-to-buy deal, this could be a great addition to Lampard’s squad.