Everton are ready to throw big wages at James Tarkowski this summer, claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

The central defender is set to leave Burnley when his contract expires at the end of the month, and Jones can see the Toffees going all out for his signature.

What is the latest news involving Tarkowski?

According to The Athletic, there are several sides who are interested in signing Tarkowski, including Everton.

However, the same outlet states that the Merseyside club are likely to face competition from Aston Villa, who are the early favourites in the race to acquire the 29-year-old.

Interest in Tarkowski comes as no surprise given his availability and experience.

Since joining Burnley from Brentford back in 2016, the Englishman has made 219 appearances for the Clarets, with 194 of those coming in the Premier League.

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What has Jones said about Tarkowski to Everton?

Given how poor Everton were defensively in the 2021/22 campaign, Jones expects them to make a serious push to sign Tarkowski in the upcoming window.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the transfer insider said: "From what I understand, they just want that [their defence] fixed as soon as possible. With Tarkowski available as a free agent, if it just means throwing wages at him rather than a fee, then they will be willing to do that.

"I'm not sure they would look at it as a massive gamble because Tarkowski has got such a good track record in the Premier League and, at the end of the day, it can't get any worse - their defending from last season."

Who is driving Everton's interest in Tarkowski?

Everything points towards Tarkowski being a Lampard target rather than a name suggested by the board or scouts.

During his days as Chelsea manager, The Athletic claimed that the 43-year-old wanted Tarkowski at Stamford Bridge.

Why is he such a huge fan? Well, in short, the England international has proven to be a solid defender over the years, especially in the air.

As per FBref, he has won 4.95 aerial duels per 90 minutes over the last year, while he has also recorded 2.67 blocks. It leaves him in the 99th percentile among fellow centre-backs for both metrics.

Ultimately, having conceded 66 goals in 38 league games, it is obvious that Lampard needs to strengthen his backline ahead of the 2022/23 season.

Considering that, signing Tarkowski is a no-brainer, though it does not look like Everton are going to get a free run at it.