777 Partners' sporting director Johannes Spors has laid out where Everton will fit in their multi-club network.

777 also have major stakes in Genoa, Standard Liege, Red Star, Vasco da Gama and Hertha BSC.

Spors said of Everton to the Telegraph: “Everton will be the missing link in the group and can be the club that gets the players when Liege or Berlin, for example, make them ready. This is something they can really participate in.

“We would not say to Liege or Berlin, you are now feeding Everton. Absolutely not, that would not be correct.

“But if there is a logical step and somebody is really good in Belgium and there are clubs the size of Everton interested, then, of course, we would do everything we can that this player makes an internal group transfer, over an external move."