Everton transfer news as Lampard eyes Championship striker duo

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Everton boss Frank Lampard will hope to strengthen his squad in January to help elevate them away from the Premier League relegation zone. The Toffees are 17th in the top-flight but have shown glimpses of being able to move up the division. 

High on Lampard’s agenda ahead of the winter window is likely to be a striker. Everton cancelled the contract of veteran attacker Salomon Rondon six months early, with the former Rafa Benitez favourite struggling for game time under the ex-England and Chelsea midfielder. 

Rondon’s departure has freed up a portion of the wage bill to help Everton attack the January transfer window. A couple of moves for different forwards failed late in the summer market. 

The Merseyside outfit expressed interest in Ajax star Mohammed Kudus and Shakhtar Donetsk’s highly-rated winger Mykhaylo Mudryk. Both players are now on the radars of Champions League clubs.

Everton have scored just 11 goals this term, the joint second-fewest of any club in the Premier League. A new striker is a must if Lampard is to guide his team away from the relegation battle they were immersed in towards the end of last season.

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There remains some interest in Blackburn’s prolific centre-forward Ben Brereton Diaz. The Liverpool Echo report that the Chile international is one of the players on Everton’s shortlist for January, but could find themselves in a battle for the Championship hotshot’s signature. 

Brereton Diaz is out of contract at the end of the season and has shown little interest in penning new terms at Ewood Park. January presents Blackburn’s final opportunity to receive a transfer fee for the 23-year-old, with West Ham also understood to be monitoring the situation. 

Meanwhile, another Championship striker in Viktor Gyokeres could be targeted. Football League World report that Coventry want to offer the Sweden international a new deal to fend off January interest from Everton and Crystal Palace.

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Gyokeres is the Championship’s top scorer this season with 10 goals. Brereton Diaz is one behind on nine, showing that both could make the step up to the Premier League. 

In terms of departures, Everton are set to keep hold of attacker Anthony Gordon. Express Sport understands that the England U21 international was interested in a move to Chelsea following a summer bid, but held talks with Lampard and is committed to the Goodison Park club. 

The Sun reported in November that Chelsea are keeping tabs on goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. However, a January move seems highly unlikely. Gordon and Pickford have contracts tying them to Everton until 2025 and 2024, respectively. 

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