The arrival of Marcel Brands has almost eclipsed that of Marco Silva in terms of how much hype he has created at the club and it's easy to see why considering the impact of Everton's summer signings thus far.

Marco Silva is the man behind Everton's performances on the field of play, but the man behind the man, Marcel Brands, deserves immense credit for the work he has done since becoming Director of Football.

Seldom seen on matchdays but discussed at length in the British media, figures working behind the scenes, such as Brands, command genuine interest among supporters.

Exactly what they do day to day and how they improve the club is a subject of great mystery, but in Brands' case there is one tangible result of his labour which has become unquestionably apparent after more than half a year with the club.

That result is the positive relationship he has established with the bigwigs at Barcelona, one which is evident in Everton's decision to sign three players from the Catalan giants in the space of a single transfer window.

Of course, any player with Barcelona on their CV will naturally attract interest from supporters, but playing for the most aesthetically pleasing side on the planet does not necessarily guarantee success - take Bojan Krkic, for example.

However, Brands has not been guilty of signing Barcelona players merely based on the premise that they must be good if they're at the club; he has brought in players of genuine quality in vital positions.

The jury may well be out on Lucas Digne, but Leighton Baines needed replacing and the summer recruit has demonstrated plenty of the quality you would expect from a modern day full-back.

Everton's other acquisitions from Barcelona, Andre Gomes and Yerry Mina, have been incredibly impressive, injecting quality to the spine of Silva's team by bringing a level of technique which Silva's free-flowing system demands.

Mina has seamlessly replaced Kurt Zouma and provided genuine steel in defence, while Everton supporters can only look on with adoration-filled lenses when Gomes is patrolling the midfield third, oozing composure and connecting the dots.

What has become apparent through the success of the aforementioned summer recruits is that Brands has purchased wisely, and the fact he managed to convince the same club to send all three players to the same destination is indicative of the harmonious and productive negotiating relationship he has managed to strike.

The foundations of a budding relationship with the La Liga giants have been laid and it's already beginning to look like Brands has struck gold in the transfer market.

Performances from Mina and Gomes hint that Brands has changed the game with his decision to bring the pair to Goodison Park, but the long-term relationship he has established should ensure that these stars are the first of many to complete the switch from Catalonia to Merseyside.

Everton fans - thoughts? Let us know below!