COMMENT: A great, young striker. A forgotten - yet fully fit, box-to-box midfielder. It really could all fall into place for Rafa Benitez at Everton.

No conspiracies, but also no coincidences: for that first day of preseason, Benitez strode onto the Finch Farm training pitch in conversation with Jean-Philippe Gbamin. They were smiling, joking and appeared comfortable together - like they had met before. Indeed, it's not beyond possibility that Benitez had sat down with Gbamin the previous day.

A 2019 signing from Mainz. But one whom - at £25m - has managed just the three appearances for the Toffees since. However now fully fit. Now with a full preseason ahead of him. Just what can that be worth to a new manager wanting to start the season on the right foot?

James Rodriguez was there too. And again, Benitez was spotted in conversation with the Colombian. Deemed too fragile by Reinaldo Rueda for this summer's Copa America, James appeared robust enough on the day as Benitez had the players hold a bounce game.

But there was one notable absentee. And like Gbamin, he could hand Benitez just the lift the new manager needs.

Moise Kean will be back at Finch Farm. He hasn't been there this week, though club sources are insisting it was on their recommendation: instead Kean is due back with a second group of players as part of a planned staggered return.

Encouragingly, the Italian hasn't been left on his heels. Instead, the young striker has been at home training with family and friends. Benitez will be delighted and when the pair do meet, knowing Kean has been working hard away from the club will help with that first conversation.

And it'll be a conversation that could be decisive. In terms of a future together, for Kean and Everton - at the moment - it's all up in the air. The Italy striker has been open about returning to PSG next season - preferably in a permanent deal. And for Everton, it's a door they've left open.

Remember me? Gbamin in 2019 action against Crystal Palace

The problem is the Parisiens wish to extend Kean's loan into a second season: something Everton will not contemplate. The message to Leonardo, PSG's sporting director, is that it's a straight sale or bust.

But having already gone as high as £65m to prise Achraf Hakimi away from Inter Milan, Leonardo hasn't the money to bring Everton back to the table. With the Blues demanding £30m - at least - for Kean, Leonardo must sell before trying again.

In the meantime, Kean will begin preseason at Finch Farm and under the charge of a new manager. A chance to strike up a new relationship. To make a new, positive first impression. And for both player and club to potentially rethink their position.

For this column, it's a window. A chance for Benitez to sit down with Kean and map out his plans for the team this new season - and beyond. If there's doubt in Kean's mind about returning to Paris. If he's open to trying again at Goodison Park. Then Benitez must act.

At 21, he returns to Everton on the back of a campaign with PSG which saw him score 19 goals - many of them spectacular - in 45 games. What Carlo Ancelotti couldn't see, Mauricio Pochettino - and before him Thomas Tuchel - could. Kean proved himself last season, both in Ligue 1 and the Champions League. Everton can't let him go without a fight.

Indeed with Kean, alongside Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Benitez would count on an attack as good as anything in the country. And as mentioned, offered a clean slate, Kean could be convinced. Particularly with Richarlison's decision to commit to Brazil's Olympics campaign. It could be the opening he needs to establish himself alongside Calvert-Lewin.

Convincing Kean would also work politically for Benitez. By rights, the former Juventus striker should be the outstanding signing of the Marcel Brands era. The Dutchman pulled off a coup when bringing Kean to Merseyside. It was a brilliant piece of transfer business - and something which deserved better from Ancelotti. That Kean has since maintained - or even surpassed - his market value thanks to his PSG exploits will be satisfying for Brands. But not half as much if Benitez can convince the player to stay and continue such progress.

If Benitez wants Brands onside. If the new manager is keen for a happy ship. He could do worse than inform Farhad Moshiri to do what they can to keep Kean at Goodison. Like Brands, Moshiri will welcome the recommendation. Everton's majority shareholder isn't Benitez's old boss at Newcastle United. Where Mike Ashley would be seeking a quick profit on his original investment, Moshiri will be far happier seeing Kean scoring at the Gwladys Street End than doing so in another shirt.

This is what Benitez has bought into. It's a "project", as he put it, with the ambitions to challenge for things. If he wants to keep Kean, the club will do everything they can to make it happen.

A new, young striker on his hands. A long forgotten, young midfielder now fully fit. Both available without spending a penny. It really could all fall into place for Rafa Benitez at Everton.