COMMENT: In the end, it was one out and one stays. But as much as they're happy getting Moise Kean off the books, does it have to be three months in the stands for his partner-in-crime James Rodriguez at Everton...?

Nothing was pushed. Nothing was forced. This was a decision driven by the player and his agent. For Kean, he had to go. Even if the welcome mat at PSG had been pulled up, Kean demanded Mino Raiola find him an escape route - which he did with Juventus. A loan arrangement in name only, Kean will spend two seasons back at his old haunt. And Everton are now €7m richer. A good deal for all, even if there's regret on Everton's side that Kean flatly refused to consider sticking around and playing under new manager Rafa Benitez.

Instead, he's off and in his place has arrived Salomon Rondon. A player requested by Benitez. From Newcastle United to Dalian Pro, the pair know eachother well. Benitez knows what he's getting. And Rondon knows what the manager is demanding. It's not the type of flash signing we've come to expect during the Farhad Moshiri era - but Rondon's arrival is significant.

The Venezuela international isn't getting this Premier League return without the presence of Benitez. But his arrival also isn't being sealed without the approval and support of Marcel Brands. Talk of the club's football director and Benitez sparring over transfer policy should ease with Rondon's signing. It does appear they're happy to work together.

Again, the significance can't be underplayed. Kean's signing two years ago was a triumph for Brands. At the time. On the face of it. It was a coup. A massive coup. And while he didn't quite find his feet in England, Kean proved his potential last season in Paris. That Brands has had to not only cut him loose, but replace the Italian with an undeniable Benitez addition, would be difficult to take - unless the Dutchman is happy working in partnership with the new manager.

James in preseason action at Old Trafford

That's not to say Brands has had his wings clipped. The attempt for Porto's exciting Colombian winger Luis Diaz is proof of that. It was the one we'd been waiting for. A functional summer market capped off by a typically exciting Moshiri signing. The leading goalscorer from the summer's Copa America. On the back of an outstanding season at home and in Europe with Porto. Diaz was that final goalscoring winger Benitez had been seeking. Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend weren't enough. He wanted one more - and Brands had identified Diaz as the player to provide the solution.

Problem was Porto didn't play dice. James was offered by Brands - plus a cash component. The proposal made with an eye on Financial Fair Play. If Everton could free up James' £200,000-a-week wages, it would give them room to bring in Diaz. But Porto refused. Despite the good memories James had created at his old club, Porto's board didn't even give him the chance to say 'no' to a wage-cut. It just didn't get that far.

So the deal was off, leaving Brands to focus on finalising a contract with Rondon's minders on deadline day. But Evertonians do now know management's priority leading up to the January market. If not Diaz, then someone similar. Fans should be excited.

In the meantime, there's the James problem. Benitez has never publicly shut the door on working with his former Real Madrid midfielder. But make no mistake, he was expecting the Colombian gone by 11pm Tuesday evening.

Instead, James remains. But does it have to be such a problem for Benitez and his staff? Indeed, does staying have to be such a problem for the player?

Benitez has already shown he's prepared to change his mind on players. Fabian Delph a case in point. By his own admission, Benitez was ready to bomb out the former England international. He walked into Finch Farm with a line through Delph's name.

Cycle forward to today and Benitez now admits he's counting on the veteran this season. He's only managed a handful of minutes, but Benitez concedes Delph has forced a change of mind thanks to his attitude in training.

"He was one of the players that we were thinking about his future, but the way that he was training - we were happy," said the manager this week. "I don't say that he could play too many games, but the way that he was training and his experience made him an option."

Indeed, such has been the turnaround that a shoulder strain suffered by Delph had Benitez admitting: "It is a big problem for us because in the end he could be an option."

So under Benitez. Working within this Everton squad. A player can change the opinion of the manager. He can even have the manager confess in public of his U-turn. If it can happen for Delph, why not James?

In the end, as Delph has shown, it'll come down to the player. Kean wasn't interested. His last action in an Everton shirt a red card. Now it's over to James. There's three months of an ever shortening career to run until the market reopens. It doesn't have to be spent in the Goodison stands.