The key rule that may impact any potential Everton summer transfer business with Chelsea

Like every other manager across Europe, Frank Lampard will be putting his contacts to good use during the summer transfer window.

The Everton boss knows that reinforcements are required after his side only just survived in the Premier League last season.

Lampard will want the opposite of another scrap at the bottom of the table and a 16th-placed finish.

Having been a serial winner during his playing days, he will have designs on finishing much higher in the 2022-23 campaign.

Unsurprisingly, plenty of people expect Lampard's Chelsea connections to be advantageous.

The Stamford Bridge side are awash of young talents and fringe players who could bolster Everton's squad.

There have been several names already linked with a switch from Chelsea to Goodison Park.

Conor Gallagher, Armando Broja and Levi Colwell are among those who've been mentioned. They all enjoyed fruitful spells at Crystal Palace, Southampton and Huddersfield respectively in 2021-22.

Given the Toffees' precarious financial situation, loans may be important.

Yet a key rule means that if Lampard wants to loan a player from Chelsea, it can only be one.

Premier League rules state that 'the maximum number of loans registrable in the same season is four, and, under no circumstances, shall more than one be from the same club at any one time'.

What's more, only two domestic loan signings are permitted. In January, Everton signed Donny van de Beek and Anwar El Ghazi on respective temporary deals from Manchester United and Aston Villa.

Therefore, if Lampard hypothetically had the pick of Chelsea players to sign on loan, he'd have to carefully ponder his sole selection.