Idrissa Gueye and James Garner are both available to make their Everton debuts in the Merseyside derby against Liverpool on Saturday.
Both Gueye and Garner joined the Blues on deadline day as Frank Lampard moved to strengthen his midfield options. The Blues had been in advanced talks over bringing Gueye back to the club since the start of last month, while Garner joined from Manchester United for an initial fee of £9m.
Gueye was the reigning players' player of the season at Everton when PSG signed him for just under £30m back in the summer of 2019. And Lampard has revealed that the pair are eligible for Saturday's matchday squad, as is Neal Maupay, who was unable to be registered for the 1-1 draw at Leeds United last time out due to Premier League requirements.
READ MORE: Frank Lampard lifts lid on Everton striker search as Dominic Calvert-Lewin return date confirmed
READ MORE: Kevin Thelwell opens up on James Vaughan appointment as former forward returns to Everton
He said: "Gana Gueye is a player for now, of course. The club knows him very well and he knows the club.
"In terms of his qualities, he's a deeper-lying midfield player - a number six or number eight, which he's been doing at PSG a lot. He gives me a great option and great experience. He's a different profile of player to what we've got, so I'm really, really pleased with that one.
"Then, with James Garner, on the flip of the strategy [we applied to the signing of Gana Gueye], he's a young player with lots of energy and lots of quality. He'll improve with us - and improve us.
"I think it's a good example of us trying to move forward in a sensible direction, improving the team, improving the core of the team in midfield - getting energy in there, as well as quality.
"No, we've got good competition in there as well, which is important, of course, with a long season."
Lampard also revealed that Abdoulaye Doucoure completed his first training session on Friday after overcoming a hamstring problem, but is not expected to return to the Blues’ matchday squad for Saturday's game at Goodison Park.
While Mason Holgate, Yerry Mina, Ben Godfrey, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Andros Townsend all remain sidelined. But one man who is expected to be in the Everton squad for Saturday's clash is Anthony Gordon, who remained at the club despite continued speculation linking him with a move to Chelsea.
Chelsea had held talks with Everton over a £60 million move for the 21-year-old but Lampard has continued to play Gordon and was rewarded with goals against Brentford and Leeds United.
“I was pretty cool about that all the way through because you asked me a lot about it, but from the early days, the talks, I was very understanding of where we wanted it to go,” Lampard replied when asked about Gordon.
“It never got close really in my opinion to happening and I think that has been great because it has shown where we are coming from.
“It has also shown in Anthony’s performances where he is at mentally and as a player and we move on. I am really happy.”
READ NEXT:
- Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch slams 'terrible' Frank Lampard tactic during Everton draw
- Everton analysis - Frank Lampard signings set example as system change pays off
- 'If I'm honest' - Frank Lampard makes Neal Maupay claim and assesses Everton transfer chances
- Farhad Moshiri must deliver on promise as Everton transfer truth leaves Frank Lampard stranded
- 'Good for him' - Frank Lampard gives clear Anthony Gordon transfer verdict after latest Everton goal
