Everton are using the profile of James Rodriguez to break into the South American market.

The Liverpool Echo says Everton's kit deal with Hummel, and their retail partnership with Fanatics, are deals in which much of money is already guaranteed to the club.

The Blues' Hummel tie-in is worth between £8-10m a year, across three years, while the improved Fanatics deal signed in early 2019 is worth more than the £3m-a-year the original decade-long partnership (which included Kitbag before they were bought out by Fanatics).

But the Blues' deal with Fanatics is also expected to be incentivised too with the club in line to profit from kit sales over and above pre-agreed targets.

The club are working with Fanatics to try and make Everton kits and merchandise more readily available in South America.