Marcel Brands' arrival at Everton has shifted the club's transfer policy in a progressive direction which has delighted the supporters so far, but there is reason to suggest that he should be turning his attention towards a more experienced talent in the coming months.

There has been a clear emphasis on the signing of young players since Marco Silva took the reigns at Goodison Park. New ideas, new players and new figureheads have all arrived on Merseyside with the intention of helping Everton step up to the next level, and positive signs of progress have already manifested themselves on the field of play.

But there is still plenty of room for improvement within the Everton squad, so Brands and Silva will need to work in conjunction with one another to identify the areas which are most in need of strengthening.

Richarlison and Bernard have both been excellent on the left-wing this season and Gylfi Sigurdsson has performed with the swagger of a top-four player, but Theo Walcott has lacked a comparable level of quality on the right side of the attacking midfield trio.

With that being said, Everton would be wise to sign an upgrade on the England international to provide Walcott with healthy competition for a starting berth, and one player who should be on their radar is Manchester United playmaker Juan Mata.

According to a recent report from ESPN, United have offered Mata an extension on his current contract which is due to expire in June 2019, but he is yet to agree to the fresh terms on offer.

Mata may well be 30-years-old but that should not represent a huge concern for the Everton hierarchy. The Spaniard has never relied heavily on pace to enjoy success in the final-third, and his recent form suggests he still has plenty to offer at the highest level.

A natural left-footer who prefers to drift in from the right-wing, Mata's style of play would create space for a marauding full-back to overlap and penetrate space down the flanks.

His preference to cut inside would offer a genuine alternative to the more direct Walcott, and it's a style which is well-suited to Silva's free-flowing brand of possession based football.

Add in the fact that Mata could be available on a free transfer next summer and it's clear that Brands has an ideal opportunity to secure another bargain deal which bears similarity to the signing of Bernard.

Not only would Mata provide an alternative to Walcott, he would also provide an upgrade on the inconsistent attacker, so Everton should be strongly considering a move for the Spaniard while he ponders over his future at Old Trafford.

Everton fans - thoughts? Let us know below!