Former Everton chief Marcel Brands set for new role in football

Former Everton director of football Marcel Brands is set for a new role with former club PSV Eindhoven.

Brands, who turns 60 next month, will replace Toon Gerbrands as PSV’s CEO/general manager when the 64-year-old steps down from his post this summer after eight years.

Den Bosch-born Brands took over from Steve Walsh, who served between 2016-18, as Everton’s second director of football.

It was a position Brands held for three-and-a-half years between May 2018 and December 2021 having previously had the title at RKC Waalwijk, AZ and PSV in his homeland, serving the latter for eight years.

He had been linked with a possible move to Ajax in recent days following the resignation of their director of football Marc Overmars after the former Arsenal winger admitted to sending a series of inappropriate messages to female colleagues.

However, Brands, whose final appearance at Goodison Park was a verbal exchange in the Main Stand with an angry Everton fan following the 4-1 home defeat to Liverpool on December 1, will instead go back to the Philips Stadium.

On that occasion the supporter asked him if he had recruited those on the pitch to which the Dutchman offered the cryptic response: “Is it only the players?"

While a strategic football review at Everton remains ongoing, the ECHO understands the club are seeking a new director of football so the position will be retained.