Everton manager Frank Lampard is understood to be weighing up a move for Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks as he looks to rebuild the Toffees squad this summer transfer window.
Fresh reports suggest that Winks, who has struggled for minutes in North London under Antonio Conte, is on Lampard’s wish list at Goodison Park alongside Burnley centre-back James Tarkowski and Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, who impressed last season while on loan at Crystal Palace.
However, Gallagher is set to be given a chance to impress during pre-season this summer under Thomas Tuchel. This means Lampard may have to wait to lodge a bid until later in the window, should Tuchel opt not to include him in Chelsea’s first-team squad for the 2022/23 campaign.
The Daily Telegraph claims that Winks is on Everton’s list of targets this summer and that the Toffees want to make at least four signings after almost suffering relegation from the Premier League. It took a dramatic 3-2 win over Crystal Palace in their penultimate game of the season to seal safety and avoid what would have been a first demotion in over 70 years.
Winks, 26, could follow former Spurs and England colleague Dele Alli to Merseyside after Lampard signed the playmaker for no initial fee - which rise to £40million with in add-ons - in the January window.
Winks featured in 19 of Tottenham’s 38 Premier League games during the 2021/22 campaign as they earned a place in next season’s Champions League group stage. However, he started just nine of those games, with Rodrigo Bentancur - who joined in January - and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg preferred to him in the middle of midfield.
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Winks has 10 caps and one goal for England’s senior side but has not represented his country since playing in a 4-0 win over Iceland in the UEFA Nations League in November 2020.
The report adds that the midfielder, who has spent over 20 years at Tottenham after joining them aged five, is free to leave this season after falling down the pecking order since Conte succeeded Nuno Espirito Santo as manager in November 2021. It is believed that Winks would cost Everton £20million, although the Toffees are said to be keen on a loan move at first.
The same report states that Burnley centre-back Tarkowski is having a medical on Wednesday ahead of completing a move to Everton. The 29-year-old is set to join on a free transfer following the Clarets’ relegation from the Premier League last month, with his contract at Turf Moor due to expire at the end of this month.
Tarkowski has spent the last six-and-a-half years with the Clarets and has made 219 appearances for Burnley, including 194 in the Premier League and five in the Europa League.
Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour spent the 2021/22 campaign on loan at Norwich - who were relegated to the Championship - and has also been credited with interest from Everton.
Gilmour burst onto the scene under Lampard at Chelsea but has failed to cement a role for himself since the England legend was sacked by the Blues in January 2021.
