Former Southampton boss Ronald Koeman has been confirmed as the new manager of Everton after signing a three-year deal at Goodison Park.
He arrives on Merseyside with the "promise of the biggest transfer budget in Everton's history", according to The Guardian. It has been claimed he could be handed as much as £100m by the club's major shareholder, billionaire Farhad Moshiri, who took over earlier in the year.
Koeman, who will be on a salary of around £6m a year, was identified as Everton's top target after Roberto Martinez was fired following a disappointing season.
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"The deal was agreed in principle last week, after Everton met Southampton's £5m compensation demands for Koeman, the assistant manager Erwin Koeman and coach Jan Kluitenberg," says the paper. "However, it was only ratified upon the 53-year-old’s return from holiday this week."
The new manager will find his in-tray brimming over when he arrives at Goodison Park, says Chris Bascombe of the Daily Telegraph.
Although he has plenty of money at his disposal, the first three questions he must answer concern current players.
"There is no doubt in Romelu Lukaku's mind he has played his last game for Everton," says Bascombe. "Will Koeman try to convince the Belgian to stay, or would he... allow an unhappy player to leave and start afresh with another striker?"
His first meeting with defender John Stones "will be crucial to determining the youngster's future", adds the journalist. The England star would certainly have left under a continued Martinez reign, but could be convinced to remain under Koeman.
His third challenge will be to get Ross Barkley back on track. "Never has a footballer looked so in need of fresh guidance."
There are other issues than need tackling, says Dominic King of the Mail online. "During the last two months of the campaign just gone, the mood around the club was appalling... Everton are never better than when they are united and the fracturing of last season must be repaired."
The same applies to the fans, who were thoroughly disenchanted by the end of last season.
"Koeman is not walking into a club that is on its knees and requires major surgery just to stabilise. He is taking over one of the best institutions in the land with history and solid foundations. Providing he makes the right moves, he has the chance to make them a force once more," says King.
Everton lure Koeman from Southampton with £100m transfer kitty
06 June
Everton are close to appointing Ronald Koeman as their new manager - but will have to pay his current club, Southampton, £5m in compensation.
The Saints' boss has one year remaining on his contract and Southampton are reportedly furious that he is heading for the exit after verbally agreeing a new deal at the start of the year.
Saints "have increased the amount of money that they want after being angered by Koeman's about-turn over leaving" and learning that Everton "have substantial funds available", reports The Times.
"Southampton were convinced that he would sign a new deal shortly after the season ended," says the paper, which adds that if Koeman does leave, the club "would refuse to allow any players to follow him to Goodison Park".
Everton hope to reach a deal today, "but realistically believe that it may be the middle of the week before they are able to name Koeman as a successor to Roberto Martinez", adds the paper.
The manager will be handed a huge transfer kitty when he arrives on Merseyside, says the Daily Telegraph. It claims Everton's new majority shareholder, businessman Farhad Moshiri, will sanction up to £100m worth of business this summer and says Koeman will be offered a salary of "around £7m".
However, Koeman's main priority will be to keep hold of Everton's existing stars rather than bring in new ones, says The Guardian: "One of his first jobs will be to persuade John Stones and Romelu Lukaku to stay on... Everton hope that the new investment and a fresh direction under Koeman will satisfy their high-profile players."
Southampton are said to have identified Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe as a possible replacement, along with Sevilla boss Unai Emery, who had also been in the running for the Everton job.
