Rafael Benitez has been Everton manager less than 48 hours and the rumour-mill is already in full swing.
The Spaniard has been linked with a return for Philippe Coutinho, who he worked with as a teenager at Inter Milan before his switch to Liverpool.
But could Benitez replicate the Carlo Ancelotti request of bringing his former charges to Goodison Park after James Rodriguez and Allan arrived last summer?
The ECHO considers three stars who could be on the shortlist for Benitez and Marcel Brands.
Philippe Coutinho
Having seen his career crumble since he left Liverpool in January 2018, Coutinho has publicly flirted with the idea of a move back to Anfield.
However, given the way in which the Brazilian left, it seems as if Jurgen Klopp has no desire to bring him back to Merseyside.
However, Benitez managed the current Barcelona man during his short managerial stint at Inter Milan. And it was in fact Benitez who alerted Liverpool's then director of football Damien Comolli to his services.
For someone who had clearly identified Coutinho's talent prematurely, Benitez could be the man to help get the 29-year-old's career back on track.
As there continues to be speculation regarding the future of Everton's midfield architect James Rodriguez, Coutinho could be the man to help fill any void that the Columbian leaves at Goodison Park.
However, even if Rodriguez was to stay, Coutinho's ability to operate on the left-hand side of midfield, or in one of the deeper roles, could serve Benitez well as he looks to make a flying start to life at Goodison Park.
Kalidou Koulibaly
Napoli defender Koulibaly was linked with Everton under the stewardship of Carlo Ancelotti but the club remained tight-lipped on the rumours.
But Benitez has signed the 30-year-old before, bringing him to Napoli in 2014.
Koulibaly said : "Rafa Benitez allowed me to discover real football. I was in the French second division, then Belgium, but he gave me the opportunity to come to Serie A for the first time, a truly important league.
“His football is very similar to that of Ancelotti, because they are coaches who have won a great deal, worked at top clubs and their visions of the game have many crossovers."
Everton are in the market for a right-back and winger this summer but have been linked with Koulibaly and Brighton and Hove Albion centre-back Ben White.
Reports in Italy claim Koulibaly would cost £43m.
Ayoze Perez
Former Newcastle United and current Leicester City forward Ayoze Perez could be the perfect addition for the Spaniard this summer, given his fantastic track record when the pair worked together in the North-East.
Perez produced the most prolific form of his career to date under the guidance of Benitez, notching 35 goals and 15 assists in 128 games for the Magpies.
Having signed for Leicester in 2019, the same summer Benitez departed from the Toon, Perez has gone on to cement himself as one of Brendan Rodgers' engines in the final third of the pitch.
However, with Leicester's stock rising year-on-year, in addition to the array of attacking options Rodgers has at his disposal; James Maddison, Patson Daka, Kelechi Iheanacho and Jamie Vardy, Perez could find his game time limited in the Midlands.
Blessed with pace, trickery and fine eye for goal, the 27-year-old could be a smart piece of business if Benitez can get the best out of him.
