The Premier League transfer window will soon be open and rumours are already dominating headlines as clubs get their summer plans underway.
For Frank Lampard at Everton, it will be a huge couple of months as he looks to reshuffle and build a team that will steer well clear of any relegation battle and push them back into the top half of the table where they belong.
Some of the business may depend on potential departures and the need to replace key figures in the squad, but there are also a number of free transfers that the club could capitalise on this summer. Links to Burnley defender James Tarkowski appear to be heating up - but could Brentford's Christian Eriksen also present an opportunity for the Blues?
READ MORE: Tim Cahill and angry phone calls can inspire Frank Lampard to rekindle Everton spirit
READ MORE: Two key factors essential if Everton are to have a chance of genuine progress
A report in The Mirror this week suggests Everton are among the clubs in the race for the Dane, as well as his former club Tottenham and Manchester United. His contract at Brentford is up at the end of the month and while the London club appear desperate to keep a hold of him, he isn't short of options and could be lining up for another Premier League side when the new season kicks off in August.
Eriksen spent seven years at Spurs before he departed for Inter Milan in January 2020. What happened the following summer at the Euros will be etched in the minds of football fans, but his comeback in just eight months has been nothing short of remarkable and he's been a key figure for Brentford this term.
Due to the 30-year-old having an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator fitted after his cardiac arrest, Serie A regulations meant he was unable to continue at Inter Milan and he was released in December last year. He joined Thomas Frank's side in January and helped guide them to safety.
In just 11 Premier League appearances in the second half of the season, Eriksen scored one goal and registered four assists. His strike against Chelsea in their 4-1 win back in April was his first in club football since the events last year.
Any doubts over his fitness were quickly squashed as he missed just one matchday squad after his debut at the end of February and has racked up over 900 minutes of action. At Inter, he also had an impressive tally with eight goals and three assists in just 60 appearances in all competitions.
Everton's midfield is certainly in need of reinforcements this summer with injuries impacting availability and question marks over the futures of others. While Eriksen alone will unlikely be the answer, his addition along with a more defence-minded player would give extra options for a strong spine with the creative flair needed to adopt a more progressive tactical approach.
Eriksen doesn't necessarily fit the 'young and hungry' mould that would be ideal for Lampard, but he offers both Premier League and European experience and will still feel like he has a lot to prove - and he'd certainly represent good value as a free agent. It's no surprise the top flights biggest clubs are vying for his signature.
Everton would have to fend off interest from Tottenham and United, if the reports are anything to go by. But for Eriksen, it seems finding the right fit will be key in his decision this summer.
He said last month : “I do not think that there are some football players who can just pick and choose between clubs, because there are many criteria that come into play. There are also many clubs that need to see one’s path before that happens.
“I have different offers and options, which we are considering, and then we make a decision. I would love to play Champions League football again. I know how much fun it is, but it isn’t essential for me.”
