Farhad Moshiri must not allow Marcel Brands’ contract as Everton’s Director of Football to expire next summer, with AS Roma now said to be eying the Dutchman for their vacant position.

What’s the word?

According to Il Tempo, via Sport Witness, new Roma owners the Friedkin Group have instructed Retexo Intelligence to headhunt a new DoF following their purchase of the Serie A side this summer.

Retexo have been tasked with sourcing the most suitable candidate to take charge at the Stadio Olimpico, and must report back the strengths and weakness plus previous track record in the transfer market of their potential options.

The Friedkin Group’s specific criteria has led Retexo to target young figures who have close ties to scouting networks, rather than those allied to agents, sparking Brands’ name to enter their thinking.

Leeds United chief Victor Orta and LOSC Lille’s Luis Campos have also been considered, but the pair were dismissed with the Friedkin Group hoping to secure a new Director of Football as soon as possible.

Brands is seen to be in the running for the position with his Everton contract due to expire next summer, and talks over a new deal not scheduled to take place until the start of the New Year.

Brands joined Everton from PSV Eindhoven in 2018, where he worked for eight-years following spells with AZ Alkmaar and RKC Waalwijk.

Catastrophic scenario

It would be catastrophic for Everton if Brands were to leave Goodison Park at the end of his current contract next summer, as the Dutchman has played an instrumental role in turning the Merseyside outfit’s fortunes around following the calamitous efforts of Steve Walsh.

Walsh was the first man to hold the position of Director of Football at Everton and was behind a string of disastrous signings during his two years on Merseyside, including Davy Klassen, Nikola Vlasic, Sandro Ramirez and Cuco Martina.

Alongside Marco Silva in their first window at the club, Brands and the Portuguese tactician then worked together to complete the signings of Bernard, Richarlison and Yerry Mina plus the loan deal for Andre Gomes, with the latter trio going on to start five, seven and five Premier League games under Ancelotti this term.

Brands and Ancelotti also worked well together this summer to unite the Blues boss with Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure and James Rodriguez, who have each hit the ground running.

Ancelotti was full of praise for Brands’ work in the transfer market, lauding the Dutchman and their “fantastic relationship” while endorsing a new contract.

“What can I say? He is doing a fantastic job and he has done a fantastic job,” the former Chelsea boss said, via quotes by the Daily Mail. “I have a fantastic relationship with him, the board still has a fantastic relationship with him; if he has to renew the contract I don't know.

“The job that he is doing is really good. I said before the transfer window [when] we had the discussion about the new players, and we were totally agreed to sign these players. I would not force a club or a director to sign a player that they don't like.”

If Moshiri and the Everton board decide against handing Brands a new contract, heaven knows what the future could have in store for Everton in the transfer market.

AND in other news, seriously naïve comments from a Premier League hero show a “fantastic” Everton ace is criminally underrated.