Everton's search for a new manager is over as the club have appointed Marco Silva as manager on a three-year contract until June 2021.
The 40-year-old joins Everton after a lengthy chase from the Blues that stretches back to when Ronald Koeman was sacked at the end of October.
Everton had attempted to pry the Portuguese boss away from then high-flying Watford last season but the parties could not come to an agreement dispute numerous, highly lucrative offers from Everton.
Silva becomes the club’s 24th permanent manager and the third appointment in the last four years.
He’s hoping to inject a bit more stability into the club and get majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri’s project to take Everton to the upper echelons of the Premier League back on track.
Speaking to EvertonFC.com upon his appointment, the 40-year-old said: “I’m really proud to be the new Everton manager. I’m excited and I’m really happy to take this big challenge for us as a club and for me as a manager.
“We have a lot of work to do in this next month and it is important to prepare everything in the right way. But there will be even more important work to do from the start of pre-season into the first Premier League match of next season."
Silva added: “I know what our fans expect - they expect results but not only results. I want our fans to be proud when they see our team on the pitch.
"I want them to feel that we are committed, that we are working hard and enjoying our football because that is important as well."
The challenge ahead
Silva will now take on the challenge of rebuilding the Everton squad in both a transfer capacity and mental state.
The Blues have many issues in their squad that have ingrained themselves over the past few years but the 40-year-old is up for the challenge ahead.
“We want to build a great connection between the squad and the fans, and I’m sure that with our attitude and demands of commitment then our style of play will see that, I believe," Silva added.
“Everton is a really ambitious club and that is what I want. What we are seeing now are good changes at the club."
He continued: "The club is changing its approach. But one thing we cannot change and nobody wants to change is the huge history and ambition of the club.
“Everybody knows Everton’s history. When you are a club like Everton, you only have one solution - to aim to win."
Silva concluded: "In football, it is impossible to win every match but we must do everything to show in every game that we have ambition.
"That is what I want and I’m sure we will show that every single week.”
Pre-season plans
Former boss Sam Allardyce had alluded to the fact that he had begun preparing plans for the club's pre-season.
Everton have announced that they will host Valencia on August 4th in what will be Silva's first game in charge at Goodison Park.
The Blues are expected to travel to Austria for their almost annual training camp before facing off against German opposition FSV Mainz.
A tour of the North West, including stops against Wigan Atheltic, Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers are also expected to be confirmed.
Silva will find out his first Premier League game when the full fixture list is released in a fortnight's time.
Shuffling the deck
The departure of Allardyce also saw the exit’s of coaches Sammy Lee and Craig Shakespeare. Duncan Ferguson retains his role as first-team coach.
Silva will bring aboard his own team that have been together his time at Estoril. It is headed up by assistant manager Joao Pedro Sousa, coach Pedro Conceição and goalkeeping coach Hugo Oliveira.
Marcel Brands joins the club on June 1st as the new Director of Football, replacing Steve Walsh.
Brands and Silva must now work together to redirect the club’s course that had been spiraling out of control following last season’s disastrous, gloom-filled campaign.