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Confirmed: Everton appoint Steve Walsh as Director of Football via GrandOldTeam

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Everton have confirmed the appointment of Steve Walsh as Director of Football.

Leicester initially rejected Everton’s approach for Walsh, but Walsh made it clear he wanted to speak to Everton officials to set the move in motion.

Walsh has played a huge part in Leicester’s recent history, credited with the scouting of Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kanté.

EVERTON FC STATEMENT
Formerly joint Assistant Manager and Head of Recruitment at Premier League champions Leicester City, he will take up his new role with immediate effect.

His strong reputation has been forged over many years, working as a part-time scout for Bury, Chester and for 16 years for Chelsea in the north of England while holding down a day job as Head of Physical Education at successive comprehensive schools in Chorley, his home town.

He was elevated to a full-time role at Stamford Bridge as European Scout before being persuaded to join Newcastle and subsequently becoming a key member of Nigel Pearson’s staff at Leicester City and Hull City prior to returning to Leicester in 2011. Following Pearson’s departure, he remained as Claudio Ranieri’s joint Assistant Manager and Head of Recruitment in the Foxes’ first title-winning season in their 132-year history.

During his career, he has been credited with scouting and recommending the signings of such players as Gianfranco Zola, Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante.

Chairman Bill Kenwright said: “It’s great news to welcome Steve to our new era at Everton Football Club. His track record, particularly at Leicester City, is already the stuff of football folklore, and both myself and Farhad, having spent time with Steve, are convinced he is exactly the right fit for our Club and our new manager, Ronald Koeman.”

Steve Walsh said: “I’m proud and privileged to become Director of Football at such a fantastic and historic club. With a new manager and a new major shareholder, it feels very much like a new era here at Everton and that potential is what is most exciting. I know the Club well, my roots are in the north west and my brother, Mickey, was an Everton player in the Bob Latchford era and always proud of that fact. I also did my initial teacher training at Liverpool Hope University many years ago. I’m genuinely excited to be here at the Club and very much looking forward to getting down to work.”

Manager Ronald Koeman said: “It’s really good for the Club to have someone in Steve who has shown his quality in his job at a number of clubs over many years. That’s the experience and quality he will bring to us at a good time in the season. He has a great deal of knowledge about building for the long-term and the magnificent work he did at Leicester on top of the job he did at Chelsea makes us excited to have him here at Everton.”

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Everton take Steve Walsh from Leicester to be their first director of football via The Guardian

• Walsh leaves league title winners Leicester City
• Former assistant manager to start immediately
Leicester City have lost another key member of the team behind their Premier League title triumph after Steve Walsh was appointed as Everton’s first director of football.

The Premier League champions initially rejected Everton’s approach for their head of recruitment, credited with the astute purchases of Riyad Mahrez, N’Golo Kanté and Jamie Vardy, before the Goodison Park club returned with an improved offer that met their compensation demands.

Related: Juventus and Everton set for battle over Newcastle’s £35m Moussa Sissoko

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Leicester fans react to Walsh to Everton via GrandOldTeam

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We’ve had a nose over on Leicester City’s Foxes Talk to see what their fans make of Everton’s appointment of Steve Walsh as Director of Football.

MattP: ‘Absolutely gutted, a bigger loss than any player could have been for us, wish him well and Everton are about to see some serious talent arriving. Thanks Steve, we couldn’t have done this amazing thing without you’.

Lcfc_lass10: ‘I respect him a lot. However, it does feel like a kick in the teeth’.

Freeman’s Wharfer: ‘Find it harder to stomach this one than the Kante one. One never really wanted to be at the club and was only really here because his agent had pushed him in our direction, the other signed a new contract just two months ago. Shows that any contract in football isn’t worth the paper it’s written on (non-playing staff included). For players people usually give the “it’s a short career” stuff to justify the lack of loyalty to the club/contract they themselves signed but in this case it doesn’t apply. Leaves a bit of a sour taste’.

Goober: ‘Everton bring in Steve Walsh while Liverpool spend £25m on Wijnaldum lol
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. Can see Everton doing some big things over the next few years now. Massive shame but good luck to Walshy, did an incredible job for us’.

Kingfox: ‘Gutted, but too good of an opportunity to turn down. Think his statement says it all, he knows the club well and his brother used to play for them, plus he wants to be closer to home. Another kick in the teeth but we move forward’.

EnglishOxide: ‘Good luck to him. He did so much for us and has left us in a great position. We will get over it sooner than we think IMO, just like Kante’.

what?: ‘Place your bets for the 17/18 champions then. Absolutely gutted to see him go but it couldn’t diminish everything he’s done for the club. All the best to him, I hope he does well there’.

davieg: ‘Looks like the lure of the north west was the main factor, near his home town and family I doubt money even came into it.’

sylofox: ‘Thanks for everything Steve. Just a shame you could not see our storey through. Not sure why you jumped off of a perfectly good ship but hey ho.’

Solthewall Bamba: ‘Gutted. We should do a Hull when NP came back here, flat out refuse to do any business with Everton in terms of transfers.’

Steve_Walsh5: ‘As good as Walsh has been with us, will it be as easy for him at Everton with where their new owner wants to be. I’m sure Everton and their fans think they will start making a load of signings and start competing for the premiership now. But at Leicester expectations were different and the players we signed were allowed to come in and have a settling in period, Vardy first season very inconsistent, Mahrez the same in our first season in the premiership, Kante yes was outstanding. Will Everton be patient enough or will they want instant successes?’

The post Leicester fans react to Walsh to Everton appeared first on GrandOldTeam.

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Chelsea turning to Romelu Lukaku with £50 million bid via Royal Blue Mersey

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Will they have an offer Everton can’t turn down

There is a lot of talk today that Chelsea have turned their sights on Romelu Lukaku now and are willing to offer Everton £50 million to pull him away. Now we all know by now how Lukaku still has feelings for Chelsea and his desire to play in European games, but that just doesn’t fit this transfer window with Chelsea failing to qualify for the Europa League this past season, much less the Champions League.

The Stamford Bridge club already signed striker Michy Batshuayi during this transfer window, and still have Diego Costa. New manager Antonio Conte has always played two-striker formations and adding Lukaku would add depth to his options. However, quite why Lukaku wants to go back into a situation where he is not starting every game, when that was his main reason for leaving, makes little sense.

All that said if this bid is true then I’m still afraid it will turn his head and might make Ronald Koeman have a hard time keeping him from wanting the move. After an uninspiring Euro 2016 tournament, Lukaku has been fairly resigned to spending another year with Everton and give Koeman an elite striker up front, but this interest from Chelsea will test his resolve and willingness to follow through on that.

The media have reported that Chelsea have had two offers rejected for Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata, the first for £50m and second for £62.5m. This explains why they are now being linked with Lukaku again.

In the end I’m going to lean towards this being a bid Chelsea doesn’t actually offer and it’s more talk than anything. That said it still might be enough to affect Lukaku and how he responds will play a big role in his performances this season.


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Everton unveil Leicester City’s unsung transfer mastermind Steve Walsh as their new director of football via Daily Mail

The 51-year-old will take up his new role with immediate effect having left his post as joint assistant manager and head of recruitment at Premier League champions Leicester City.
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Everton unveil Leicester City’s transfer mastermind Steve Walsh as director of football via Daily Mail

The 51-year-old will take up his new role with immediate effect having left his post as joint assistant manager and head of recruitment at Premier League champions Leicester City.
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Nemanja Matic and Moussa Sissoko on Juventus shortlist to replace Manchester United target Paul Pogba via Daily Mail

SIMON JONES – TRANSFER COLUMN: Andre Gomes of Valencia, Axel Witsel at Zenit and Marcelo Brozovic at Inter Milan are also among those being considered by the Italian champions.
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