Much of the focus for Everton during the January transfer window appears to have been on cutting away the deadwood in their squad. 

With the likes of Yannick Bolasie, Cenk Tosun and Jonjoe Kenny being farmed out on loan after little in the way of first-team football, Carlo Ancelotti made just enough room in his squad to bring Josh King to Goodison Park during the dying embers of the window. 

One move, however, did not work out. 

The Athletic claimed earlier this month that a move that would have seen Bernard join Dubai outfit Al-Nasr broke down at a late stage after the Brazilian failed to agree terms. 

Speaking to Football Insider, former England international Danny Mills believes Ancelotti and Director of Football Marcel Brands have spoken to the South American and warned him he'll get limited playing time. 

"Ancelotti is clever and very, very good at what he does alongside the sporting director Marcel Brands," he said. 

"They’ll have told Bernard that his starting opportunities are going to be very limited.

“I’ve spoken to Marcel Brands and he and Ancelotti are quite open and quite honest.

“They’ll have said: ‘If you want to stay and fight for your place, that’s entirely up to you. But if you want to go elsewhere and the fee is right then we’re not going to stand in your way.’

“From that, you get instant mutual respect. Honesty in football is few and far between. All players want is the brutal truth, however brutal it may be, you can deal with it."

GIVEMESPORT's Jonathan Gorrie says...

Bernard may not be a fixture in the first-team for The Toffees (starting only two Premier League games this season) but his winner against Tottenham in the recent FA Cup thriller did at least suggest he can play a role. 

After all, Everton seriously struggled in the absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin while losing to Fulham and, outside of the England international, no one has scored more than five goals. 

With that in mind, perhaps there's a chance he can provide an option off the left. None of Richarlison, Alex Iwobi or James Rodriguez have proven overly prolific thus far and - in the battle to finish in the top four - they will surely need to find more sources of goals to ease the burden on Calvert-Lewin. 

So, writing Bernard off may not be the wisest idea in the world, even if he has struggled to wholly convince on Merseyside thus far.