Following suggestions Marcel Brands could be ready to extend his stay at Goodison Park, the future is looking bright for Everton.

Carlo Ancelotti's side may not be as consistent as they'd like to be at the moment but the Italian's first full season in charge has seen The Toffees improve significantly. With a new stadium reportedly on the cards in the near future too, these are exciting times on Merseyside. 

According to ESPN, the Ancelotti rebuild could come at a cost for one player, however. 

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They claim the Everton boss is seeking an upgrade on Andre Gomes this summer. 

Juventus' Adrien Rabiot is mentioned as a potential target and the Portuguese could reportedly be a victim of his manager's hopes to introduce more quality in the side as he sees an improvement. 

Over the last two transfer windows, Ancelotti has moved on the likes of Cenk Tosun, Theo Walcott, Yannick Bolasie and Jonjoe Kenny (albeit largely on loan deals) in an effort to put his stamp on the squad and potentially make space for further signings. 

Indeed, Gomes could be a name added to that list should an upgrade come in. 

GIVEMESPORT's Jonathan Gorrie says... 

It does make sense to look for an improvement on Gomes. 

Though the former Barcelona man does deserve patience after the horrific leg break he endured back in November 2019, the 27-year-old isn't pulling up any trees at the moment. 

WhoScored note he ranks eighth in the squad for tackles made per game (1.5), eighteenth for interceptions over the same period (0.3) and third for being dispossessed (1.4). 

In fact, only Richarlison and James Rodriguez are robbed more often than Gomes and, given his generally deeper position in midfield, that could cost his side. Should a more capable ball carrier and protector come in, it stands to reason Everton could impose themselves in the middle of the park with better control. 

Five of his nine starts this season have resulted in losses and, while he alone cannot be blamed for that, his statistics don't exactly speak to a player making much of an impact in central or defensive midfield. As per Transfermarkt, 17 of his 19 appearances in all competitions this season have come in those particular berths. 

With all that in mind, Ancelotti looks right to go out in search of an upgrade.