Everton have reportedly failed with a bid for Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Leander Dendoncker.
Frank Lampard has enjoyed a productive summer in the transfer market, making as many as six first-team additions over the past two months.
One of those players was Amadou Onana, who cost £33m and is expected a command a regular role for the Toffees in the centre of the pitch.
However, Lampard wants at least one more player who could challenge for a starting position with Andre Gomes potentially departing Goodison Park.
According to The Sun, Everton have recently failed with an offer of £8.5m for Belgium international Dendoncker.
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Although the 27-year-old has made 159 appearances for Wolves in all competitions, he is currently not regarded as a regular starter by head coach Bruno Lage.
Even with Wolves switching to a three-man midfield, Dendoncker finds himself on the substitutes' bench behind Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho and Matheus Nunes.
Since Nunes's arrival, Dendoncker has played 94 minutes across three matches, the latest being in the final seconds of Wolves' 1-1 draw with Newcastle United.
With Wolves possessing a 12-month option on Dendoncker's contract, he technically has two years remaining on his existing terms at Molineux.
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Unless Lage is able to sign a new central defender and midfielder before Thursday's deadline, the Portuguese is unlikely to contemplate a sale at this stage.
Wolves also announced on Monday that they had allowed Luke Cundle to spend the season on loan at Swansea City, a sign that Dendoncker will not be departing the club.
Furthermore, Wolves are already one of the smaller teams in the Premier League, and Dendoncker is regarded as an important alternative when it comes to that area.
Wolves are allegedly on the brink of signing Stuttgart forward Sasa Kalajdzic, a player at 6ft 7in who will give the team more aerial presence at both ends of the pitch.
Darren Plant
