With Marcel Brands' contract up at the end of the season, Manchester United have been linked with making a move. 

A respected director of football following his time working with both PSV and the Toffees, United and Roma have been touted as potential landing spots should the Dutchman look to leave his post on Merseyside. 

Speaking on The Athletic's YouTube channel, David Ornstein has revealed a bit more on the situation. 

Brands replaced Steve Walsh in 2018 and has since help bring the likes of Carlo Ancelotti to the club, who in turn raised their stature as proved by the signing of James Rodriguez. 

However, Ornstein has delivered some interesting insight into life behind the scenes for him. 

'As for Everton, I'm told he's incredibly close to Ancelotti. He really likes the project at Goodison Park but I think there has been some tension with the owner, Farhad Moshiri,' he said from the tenth minute mark onwards. 

'A lot of speculation over how heavily involved each man in is in each transfer the club has conducted, so there is some uncertainty there'.

So, it'd certainly be interesting to see what happens should a club as big as United ultimately make a move for Brands. 

Still, The Athletic recently reported that power brokers at Everton weren't overly concerned about his contract expiring given his status a board member. Ancelotti has praised him in the past, so keeping the two working together must be the ideal scenario in the eyes of the club. 

Their first summer together proved hugely successful in terms of the level of signing and, if Everton are going to start challenging the top six on a regular basis, more windows like that one are surely needed.