As soon as Marcel Brands was linked with a role at Everton, the Hirving Lozano rumours started.
Chucky, as he’s known in Mexico, was a Brands signing at PSV, has done well, and is getting to the stage that a transfer looks increasingly likely.
There were two hurdles in the way. Firstly, Brands had to actually arrive and that all dragged out for a painful amount of time before Everton sharpened their knives and made room with the massacre of Goodison Park.
Then the next hurdle was always going to be Brands himself. Indeed, Everton taking PSV’s director of sport may in some ways make Lozano arriving less likely rather than more likely.
Brands seems one of the nicest men in football, and him snatching the PSV star just didn’t seem fitting.
But claims from Spain via excited (the media in the country would love a big Chucky move) Mexican newspaper Publimetro, could change that.
Should a club be set to take Lozano anyway, then Everton could step in and use those Brands connections to get PSV on their side.
Not only that, the Toffees would likely put together a better deal for the Dutch club, not offering a loan and redemption or payment by a thousand cuts as Valencia may.
It’s a situation worth keeping an eye on.
