Lampard can finally axe shocking Everton liability with "very talented" £9m-rated star - opinion

Everton could finally sell Jean-Philippe Gbamin this summer amid reports claiming the club are interested in VfL Wolfsburg midfielder, Aster Vranckx.

The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland recently revealed that Gbamin’s loan move to CSKA Moscow until the end of the season does not contain a buy option for the Russia giants, so the Ivory Coast international will make his return to Goodison Park in the summer.

That follows on from reports that the Toffees are keen on signing 19-year-old starlet Vranckx when the transfer window rolls around, and it’s a move that would surely allow Frank Lampard’s side to cut ties with Gbamin permanently.

Despite only being 19, Vranckx has been tipped for stardom by those closest to him, and it’s clear that after making the move from his native Belgium to Wolfsburg, he has already impressed those in the hierarchy.

The Bundesliga club’s sporting director, Marcel Schafer, said: “Axel’s a very talented player who became a first-team regular for Mechelen at the age of 17, and he can operate in different midfield roles. We’re very excited to take on his development.”

Indeed, Bundesliga.com had this to say about him and his style of play: “A holding player in his early days, Vranckx possesses the guile, industry and tenacity of Borussia Dortmund and Belgium midfielder Axel Witsel, but brings a bit more to the table in an attacking sense.

“If Wolfsburg can tap into his budding attributes as the club did so successfully with Kevin De Bruyne in 2014/15, the Auto City Club could have a very handy box-to-box midfielder on their hands.”

As per Whoscored, he averages an impressive 1.6 tackles and 1.4 shots per game this season in the German top-flight for Wolfsburg, and it’s that kind of box-to-box instinct