Everton brought in several new players during the previous summer transfer window to help strengthen Frank Lampard’s squad.

One figure they brought in to help strengthen the defence is Conor Coady, who joined on a season-long loan from fellow Premier League club Wolves back in August.

Despite seeing Coady start the six league games he’s appeared in since arriving at Goodison Park, the Toffees may already have their ideal long-term heir for the 29-year-old.

Back in July, Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite joined PSV Eindhoven on loan for the season.

With four league appearances to his name for the Dutch club, the 20-year-old already has the highest average of clearances per game at PSV (3).

This shows how imperious he can be at the back in a similar way to Coady, who has the second-highest average of clearances per game for Everton so far this season (5.7).

In fact, his latest league appearance saw the Englishman score a goal in PSV’s 4-3 win over Feyenoord, showing how dangerous he can be in front of the opponent’s goal as well as being able to protect his own.

Everton signed the centre-back from Carlisle United back in the 2020 January transfer window. Since then, the youngster has gone on to make just 13 senior appearances for the Goodison Park outfit, in addition to completing a previous loan spell with Championship club Blackburn Rovers.

Hailed by former Toffees manager Carlo Ancelotti as a “confident” player who “never loses control”, Lampard certainly has a future defensive talent on his hands.

While it may be early days into his loan spell with PSV, if Branthwaite can have a successful season with the Dutch side and show Lampard that he has what it takes to become a regular first-team player for the Merseyside club, then he’ll have a great chance of one day becoming a long-term heir for Coady.