Frank Lampard has sealed his first signing as Everton boss with Donny van de Beek joining from Manchester United on loan for the rest of the season.
Van de Beek has fallen behind in the pecking order this season Old Trafford, having featured in just 68 Premier League minutes this term.
He will now join up with Lampard at Goodison Park after the Chelsea legend was confirmed as Rafael Benitez’s successor on a two-and-a-half-year deal.
Lampard will be tasked with getting the best out of the Dutchman, who has struggled for minutes ever since his £40million arrival from Ajax in 2020.
“Now I can say I am an Everton player, I am really happy and can’t wait to help the team,” Van de Beek told Evertontv.
“I think it is a great club… there are really good players here and I came because I want to help them go up the table.
“I hope to bring my football qualities, my passing, and, of course, scoring goals. It is a big part of my game to score and give assists and I will try to do that again. And it is not only offensive, you have to defend as a midfielder and I can do that as well.
“I had a really positive meeting with the new coach. We have the same ideas about football and he had a lot of influence on my decision.
“I played against him when I was at Ajax, and he was at Chelsea [as manager], so he knows me as a player. He thinks I have qualities that can help the team.
“I can learn a lot from him because he was a little bit in the same position – a midfield player who scored a lot of goals.
“He can help me a lot, so I think I’m in a good spot. I want to improve with Everton. There are always things that can be better and I work hard every day to do that.”
Lampard will be in a job for the first time since he was dismissed as Chelsea boss in January 2021.
The 106-cap England international since was dealt his marching orders by the Blues this time last year after 18 months at the helm.
Prior to his tenure in west London, Lampard had spent a season in charge of Derby and guided them to the Sky Bet Championship play-off final in 2019.
He will take over a side who are 16th in the Premier League and have lost 10 of their last 13 matches, with Benitez sacked on January 16.
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