Frank Lampard will be officially unveiled as Everton’s new manager on Monday after finalising a two-and-a-half-year deal at the club.
Everton moved for Lampard after sacking Rafa Benitez following a run of one win in 13 games. They sit 16th in the Premier League, just six points above the relegation zone.
Lampard, 43, has been out of work since being sacked as Chelsea boss last January and was chosen over a number of candidates after a fraught fortnight for the Toffees hierarchy.
He is now working on adding to his backroom staff and getting a few deadline-day transfers over the line before 11pm Monday night.
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It is understood the former England midfielder is already close to landing Manchester United’s Donny van de Beek on loan until the end of the season.
Paul Clement, Carlo Ancelotti’s former assistant at Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, could team up with Lampard.
Lampard did “good job” at Chelsea
Former Chelsea playmaker Pat Nevin spoke to i earlier this week and believes Lampard’s reputation at Stamford Bridge was not tarnished, despite his sacking.
“Chelsea fans thought he did a good job. He brought a lot of the youngsters in really quickly and it was brave to be able do it.
“He was a good manager but they just happen to have a great one now.”
On whether Lampard would be the man to instil a set philosophy at Everton, a club that has sorely lacked any semblance of one, Nevin added: “He’s very positive and attack-minded, Frank. It would be a high tempo game and he would have a philosophy but it would need a bit of time.”
Read more from i’s interview with Pat Nevin here
Lampard’s appointment brings to an end Everton’s two-week search for a replacement for Benitez, who departed the club following the 2-1 defeat at Norwich.
Toffees owner Farhad Moshiri initially looked set to appoint Vitor Pereira as his seventh manager in six years – but protests from Everton fans, including graffiti daubed outside Goodison Park, halted that venture.
Club legend Duncan Ferguson was also interviewed, while Wayne Rooney declined to be considered, instead focusing on hauling Derby out of the Championship relegation mire.
Lampard, one of Rooney’s predecessors at Derby, at least has Premier League managerial experience. In his first months at Chelsea he was unable to sign players due to a transfer embargo, which paved the way for youngsters to flourish in his set-up.
Everton themselves have spent more than £500m on players under Moshiri only to make minimal progress. Lampard was eventually given money at Chelsea when their embargo was lifted, but both there and at Derby proved to be an effective coach too.
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/F7JKEvxTV
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