Everton are actively exploring the prospect of football chief Steve Walsh and PSV Eindhoven's Marcel Brands working together.

The Daily Mail says it is widely expected that Brands, the current PSV Eindhoven Sporting Director, will be appointed to a similar role at Goodison Park in the near future, with reports in Holland suggesting that it could happen as soon as PSV are confirmed as the new Eredivise champions.

There have been indications from Farhad Moshiri, Everton's major shareholder, that he sees Walsh and Brands working in tandem, rather than the Dutchman coming in as a direct replacement.

Everton insist that no deal is in place to bring Brands - who was linked with Chelsea last December shortly after Michael Emenalo was sacked - to Merseyside. The club maintains that the sole focus at present is a face-saving end to a campaign that has horribly underwhelmed.