Everton favourite Kevin Campbell has tipped young forward Ellis Simms to stake a claim for Frank Lampard’s first team squad in pre-season.
Simms, 21, has just returned from a successful half-season loan spell at Hearts where he scored seven times in 21 appearances. He received plenty of plaudits in Scotland and has been linked with a similar loan move to Rangers next season - the team he faced in last month’s Scottish Cup final when Hearts went down 2-0.
Simms also impressed on loan at Blackpool during the 2020/21 campaign and his 10 goals in 24 appearances helped spearhead the Seasiders promotion to the Championship. He also made his Premier League debut earlier this season, playing 62 minutes of the Toffees 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in December.
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And Campbell believes that after these experiences Simms could make an impact next year. “I think what Frank Lampard’s going to do is he’s going to assess the squad,” he told Goodison News.
“I think Ellis Simms going to Hearts has been really good for him, played week in week out. Let Frank Lampard have a look at him. I think that’s the important part. Because we don’t know, is Dominic Calvert-Lewin going to have the same injury issues or is he going to be okay?
"Who knows what it’s going to take, so there’s going to be a changing of the guard of some sort at Everton. And Ellis Simms wants to put his hat in the ring.”
However, Campbell also feels that if Lampard isn’t going to have Simms as part of his squad, it’s in his interest to send the youngster back out on loan. He also expressed his thoughts on where the forward should end up. He said: “I think it all comes down to whether the manager wants to utilise him and develop him.
"If he doesn’t then obviously Ellis Simms will have his blessing to go back out to Hearts. [Rangers] would be a better move. That would be a better move for him for sure.”
