Everton appoint Steve Walsh from Leicester City as director of football

Everton have announced the appointment of Steve Walsh as the club's new director of football.

The Merseyside outfit have poached the 51-year-old from Premier League champions Leicester City, where he worked as head of recruitment and Claudio Ranieri's assistant manager.

Walsh, who was responsible for finding Jamie Vardy, N'Golo Kante and Riyad Mahrez during his time with the Foxes, signed a new deal at the King Power Stadium in May, but he has been lured away by the Toffees.

Everton's latest hiring is part of a new-look setup at Goodison Park, with Ronald Koeman as manager and wealthy businessman Farhad Moshiri calling the shots as majority shareholder.

"I'm proud and privileged to become director of football at such a fantastic and historic club," Walsh told the club's official website. "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."

Chairman Bill Kenwright added: "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."

Everton's Dutch manager, who replaced Roberto Martinez this summer following a two-year spell at Southampton, is confident that Walsh will be pivotal in the club's progression.

"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," said Koeman. "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."

During his career, Walsh has also scouted Didier Drogba, Gianfranco Zola and Michael Essien.