27 January 2023 , 18:42
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Everton will finalise contract details on Saturday, to make Sean Dyche their new manager.
And the incoming boss has been promised funds to make at least two signings, if the Blues can get deals over the line before the transfer window closes on Tuesday.
Club owner Farhad Moshiri made the call to appoint former Burnley manager Dyche, after a bizarre exchange with his other candidate for the job Marcelo Bielsa in a face to face interview on Thursday evening. After a week of indecision, the former Leeds boss indicated he would be ready to succeed Frank Lampard at Goodison Park, but ONLY in the summer. And in an extraordinary exchange, he suggested instead that he work with Everton's U21s until then.
That remarkable scenario would have required the appointment of an interim boss until Bielsa was ready to work with the first team.
But Blues officials - facing the grim reality of a relegation fight which already looks a tough ask - baulked at the idea, and instead preferred Dyche.
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He impressed with some clear-headed analysis of the club’s situation in two interviews, and won over both Moshiri and Director of Football Kevin Thelwell with his plan to get the best out of the current squad to escape the very real threat of dropping into the Championship.
Bielsa, on the other hand, suggested Everton's squad simply wouldn’t fit his exacting - and eccentric - methods, which is why he preferred to wait until the summer to work with the first team.
Dyche has indicated he will harness the passion of the fans, their incredible support and the reputation of Goodison to ensure they find the wins required to stay up. He also knows several of the Everton players, and provided an in depth analysis of the squad in talks.
And while talks were ongoing over contract details on Friday evening - with the length of the deal still under discussion, but likely to be an initial two and a half years - it is likely to be signed over the weekend.
Moshiri had initially been keen on Marcelo Bielsa, but his demands didn't fit Everton's needs (2019 Getty Images)
Dyche will be able to make early personnel changes (2022 Getty Images)Dyche was swayed, in part, because of Moshiri’s willingness to make funds available to attempt to strengthen the squad before the window closes - and he swiftly facilitated that by agreeing a deal to sell troubled young star Anthony Gordon to Newcastle for a fee that could reach £45m.
Gordon had travelled to London on Monday for a face to face meeting with the owner, where he demanded a move. He subsequently was absent without authorisation from training for two days, only returning to Merseyside on Thursday evening.
Previous boss Lampard had dropped the England U21 player to the bench for the past month after his attitude worsened around the club, and insiders detailed his passionate demands to leave, after a transfer to Chelsea fell through in the summer.
Dyche wants a striker and a midfielder before the deadline, but targets are scarce in January. Everton have been linked to moves for Sheffield United forward Iliman Ndiaye and Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, while former Stoke and West Ham forward Marko Arnautovic has also been linked.
Lyon’s former Celtic forward Moussa Dembele is also available, and could appeal to Dyche given the striker is out of contract in the summer and available for a small fee, but there is competition from Villa.