Fresh off the World Cup, the January transfer window is nearing. So, Frank Lampard should switch his attention to sell these three Everton players in the market – including Yerry Mina.
The Toffees will return to Premier League duty after a six-week wait at home to Wolves on Boxing Day. Lampard will be desperate to use the festive affair at Goodison Park to kick his side’s season into gear. It has so far been another frustrating term for the Merseyside club.
Everton entered the international break just a point above the relegation zone having only won three games this season. Lampard has also only overseen five draws to seven defeats given his squad’s troubles at the top of the pitch. Only Wolves (8) have scored fewer goals.
Nottingham Forest and Everton have each produced the second-worst attack with 11 goals in 15 games. But the Toffees have only conceded 17 times for the fourth-best record in the top-flight. It has helped Everton draw 1-1 in three games and twice play in goalless affairs.
Lampard will know January gives him the chance to strengthen as Anthony Gordon (3) and Dwight McNeil (2) are his only players to score more than one goal. But he also has a host of deadwood on the books who are yet to make an impact in Everton’s 2022/23 campaign.
So, with the January transfer window just around the corner and the 2022 World Cup over, HITC Football has looked at three Everton players whom Lampard should now look to sell…
Yerry Mina headlines the Everton players Frank Lampard should sell in January
Mina headlines the list of players Lampard should look to sell in January after yet another injury-plagued campaign. The 28-year-old has only featured in one Premier League match for 70 minutes. He sustained ankle ligament damage in their curtain-raiser against Chelsea.
The Colombian returned to the Toffees’ bench for their final game before the World Cup at AFC Bournemouth. But he has fallen in Lampard’s pecking order following the successes of James Tarkowski and Conor Coady in royal blue since their summer arrivals on Merseyside.
Mina only managed to feature in 13 Premier League games last season, too, as his endless fitness issues continued. The 39-cap centre-half has only played 93 times for Everton in all competitions since joining from FC Barcelona under Marco Silva in August 2018 for £27m.
Now, Mina is also nearing the end of his £120k-a-week contract as his terms will expire on June 30, 2023. So, Lampard should jump at a chance to sell the Everton player in January with Calcio Dangolo reporting Jose Mourinho has the 6 ft 4 brute on his shortlist for Roma.
Michael Keane is another Everton player for Frank Lampard to sell in January
Michael Keane is another defensive Everton player whom Lampard should now look to sell in January, along with Mina. The 29-year-old has also fallen behind Tarkowski and Coady in the Toffees’ pecking order this season. But Keane’s fall from grace has only been by choice.
Lampard has opted to leave the centre-half on the bench for 14 of the Goodison outfit’s 15 Premier League games. Keane only played at Brentford on August 27 after Mason Holgate sustained a knee injury. Ben Godfrey has not featured since fracturing his fibula in August.
Keane had already begun to fall down Everton’s pecking order before Tarkowski and Coady joined, as well. Lampard benched the £65k-a-week ace four times over the Toffees’ last 19 games as they fought for their Premier League status. Now, he is arguably the fifth choice.
Everton could still demand a strong fee for Keane as he extended his contract until 2025 in 2020. But they may struggle to recoup the £25m, rising to £31m, they paid Burnley in 2017 for him. Although a few Premier League sides are monitoring the 12-cap England defender.
Nottingham Forest are one club whom The Sun reports Everton hope make an offer to sign Keane. But Steve Cooper may only put at most a £15m bid on the table. The Sunday Mirror (04/12, p82) also notes Forest lead Fulham, Leicester City and West Ham United for a loan.
Trabzonspor may give Frank Lampard a chance to offload Jean-Philippe Gbamin
Silva paid FSV Mainz 05 £25m to buy Jean-Philippe Gbamin in 2019 to replace Idrissa Gana Gueye. Yet the Senegal star has returned to Goodison just three years after he joined Paris Saint-Germain for £30m. In that time, Gbamin has played in just eight games for the Blues.
Gbamin has endured a horrific time with injuries since signing a £75k-a-week deal with the Toffees. His three Premier League appearances last season were the most he has made in a single season. So, Lampard let the 14-cap Ivory Coast ace leave on loan over the summer.
Now, Trabzonspor may give Lampard a chance to sell Gbamin, whose contract at Everton runs until 2024. 61Saat reports the Super Lig side would consider a permanent move if the Toffees lower their valuation. Everton are demanding just €5-7m (£4.5-6m) to offload him.
Gbamin has shown some promise at Trabzonspor since going to the Senol Gunes Stadium on a season-long loan in August. He had also made 13 appearances across all competitions before the World Cup. But his deal with the Super Lig side does not include any buy terms.
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