Two more key figures have left Everton following Marcel Brands’ exit.
Brands brought an end to his three-and-a-half year spell as director of football at Goodison Park due to a difference of opinion about the club’s direction.
The Blues confirmed that an internal review of their footballing strategy would be taken in the aftermath of the Dutchman’s surprise departure last weekend.
But two of Brands’ key allies since elected to leave the club on Thursday in the form of recruitment chief Gretar Steinsson and scouting chief Dan Purdy.
Steinsson initially occupied the role of Everton’s chief European scout after being headhunted by the 59-year-old from Fleetwood Town three years ago.
Purdy also held different positions within the recruitment and analysis setup since 2015 and had worked with Brands and his predecessor Steve Walsh.
Both departures are understood to be directly linked to Brands’ own exit.
The changes are expected to strengthen Rafael Benitez’s hand to oversee the entire first-team operation and follow similar upheaval on the medical side.
Everton’s highly-regarded head of medical services Dan Donachie left last month following the arrival of ex-Newcastle fitness coach Cristian Fernandez.