Everton are reportedly 'highly interested' in signing Hoffenheim central midfielder Dennis Geiger on a free transfer.

The Lowdown: Out of contract

Geiger is out of contract in the summer, meaning that he can leave as a free agent, or sign a pre-contract agreement with a non-German club in the January transfer window.

Interestingly, the Goodison Park outfit were linked with a move for him back in 2019, alongside league champions Man City, with Sport 1 even claiming Pep Guardiola is a fan of the player.

The Latest: Revived interest

Taking to Twitter, Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg has revealed that both the Merseyside club and Benfica are 'highly interested' in Geiger and a potential deal to sign him on a free transfer:

"X News #Geiger: SL Benfica & Everton highly interested in the 24 y/o central midfielder. Some Bundesliga teams too. Tendency at this stage: No contract extension at Hoffenheim, free agent 2023. Talks with all parties ongoing. Current salary around €1.5-2m/year."

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The Verdict: Prioritise other positions

Even though signing 24-year-old Geiger on a free could be a smart move, Frank Lampard's team should focus on strengthening in other areas of the pitch first.

They already signed central midfielders Amadou Onana, Idrissa Gueye and James Garner in the summer, and could do with signing another forward first of all, having only scored 11 goals in their first 15 games in the Premier League.

Nonetheless, Geiger, who shares a similar playing style to top-flight stars Joao Moutinho, Douglas Luiz and Mateo Kovacic, could well thrive in the division, but the Toffees should prioritise other signings first of all before potentially bringing him in for next season.