"Interested..": Journalist drops Everton transfer update, it would be an ideal coup - opinion

Everton have only made one signing so far this summer with the arrival of James Tarkowski earlier this month, although a new potential transfer target has emerged.

Dutch journalist Mike Verweij has revealed that the Toffees are interested in signing Ajax left-back Anass Salah-Eddine this summer.

Transflated from Dutch, he tweeted: “Anass Salah-Eddine (20) at Ajax put to the test. Left back in talks with club since April, but proposal and counterproposal are far apart. Current contract expires in mid-2023. Club Brugge, Feyenoord , Everton and FC Twente interested in [the] Amsterdammer.”

Everton are in desperate need to add some depth and quality to their defence following a disappointing relegation scrap in the Premier League last season, so the signing of Salah-Eddine would be an ideal coup for the Toffees.

The 20-year-old rising talent has been polishing his craft in the Ajax youth system which developed some of the biggest stars in football, with Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten, Frank Rijkaard, Wim Kieft, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Kluivert, among many others, all graduating from the Amsterdam club’s academy.

Salah-Edinne was finally given his Eredivisie debut in May by Erik ten Hag and could now follow his former manager to the Premier League (albeit to a different club) if he is given the opportunity to join the squad at Goodison Park.

Lampard may be looking to further strengthen his back-line this summer after already signing former Burnley colossus Tarkowski, as Everton will not want to repeat the mistakes of last season, when they conceded the fifth-most goals (66) of any team in the Premier League.

The Everton defence came under harsh scrutiny from some onlookers, with Jamie Carragher branding the defence “a