Everton will name Carlo Ancelotti as their new manager later this week, talkSPORT understands.
The Italian, who was sacked by Napoli earlier this month, is set to be unveiled as Marco Silva’s successor ahead of Saturday’s clash against Arsenal – a game you can listen to LIVE on talkSPORT.
A statement from Everton on Monday said the club had “held meetings with a number of candidates” since sacking Silva on December 5.
But talkSPORT understands Ancelotti has agreed a deal in principle with majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri to take the job.
An announcement is set to be made later this week, with the former Chelsea manager likely to be in the dugout at Goodison Park against Arsenal.
Ancelotti was in London to meet Everton chiefs on Tuesday to thrash out terms and is set to bank around £11.5million-a-year, while he will also receive a bonus – reported to be £2.5m – if he keeps the club in the Premier League.
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Duncan Ferguson is expected to remain part of the coaching staff having impressed in his role as caretaker manager.
Since taking temporary charge of the first team, the Scot has guided the Toffees to a win over Chelsea and a draw against Manchester United.
Following the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, Ferguson, who will continue as caretaker boss for the Toffees’ Carabao Cup quarter-final against high-flying Leicester on Wednesday, insisted the club needed to employ ‘the best manager in the world’.
He said: “It’s buying them a bit of time to get the right man in. With a couple of results, they can make the process more diligent.
“We need the best manager in the world and I’ve not got the experience.
“I’m all for us bringing in a top manager and if I can be part of it then great.”
Ancelotti, who has won three Champions League trophies as a manager, has vast experience across Europe, having managed in England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
His previous spell in the Premier League was with Chelsea, where he won the title and the FA Cup between 2009 and 2011.
A popular figure at Stamford Bridge, Ancelotti was sacked despite finishing runner-up in the Premier League in his second season in charge.
He has since managed Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich before a troubled start to his second term at Napoli came to an end last week.
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