Everton: £20k-a-week star 'Lampard's X-factor' at Goodison Park

Everton’s ‘X-Factor’ is midfielder James Garner, who arrived as a summer signing from Manchester United, according to Daily Star journalist Paul Brown.

The Toffees have made a slow start to the Premier League campaign and could need the 21-year-old to hit the ground running in his new surroundings to improve their fortunes on the pitch.

Everton splashed out £15 million to prise Garner away from United and he put pen to paper on a four-year contract that runs until the summer of 2026.

“I’m made up to sign for Everton,” said the England Under-21 international. “It’s a huge step in my career and I want to help the team get better while progressing as a player. I think Everton is the perfect place to do that. I can’t wait to get started.”

Garner is yet to make his debut for the Toffees, though, and has watched on from the sidelines as they have failed to record a victory in any of their opening six Premier League encounters.

A trip to the Emirates to take on Arsenal is up next for Everton, and manager Frank Lampard could hand Garner his first start as he goes in search of a maiden three points in 2022/23.

Brown believes that Garner has the best ‘passing range’ at the club and could be the ‘fulcrum’ of Everton’s attacking moves when given the opportunity to shine.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, he said: “The X-Factor is Garner because we’re not sure where Lampard sees Garner playing.

“A lot of people who know Garner and have watched him from an early age think that his best position is the sitter just in front of the back four, where he can run a game, dictate the tempo and use his passing range.

“He is probably the only midfielder Everton have got with that kind of passing range who can be that fulcrum there to begin