Tuesday 19 July 2016 20:15, UK
Everton have agreed a deal in principle with Leicester City to take head of recruitment Steve Walsh and make him their new director of football, according to Sky sources.
The Premier League champions turned down an approach from Everton, who are now managed by Ronald Koeman and bouyed by significant investment from new owners, over the weekend.
Walsh was responsible for heading the recruitment team that unearthed players such as Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N'Golo Kante, leading to inevitable reluctance to lose him to another club.
Walsh agreed and signed a new contract with Leicester in May but the clubs have now agreed compensation after Walsh expressed a desire to move closer to his family in the North West, and final legal details are now being addressed.
Walsh has been at Leicester since November 2011 and widely praised for setting up one of the best player recruitment departments in country.
Sky sources understand his new, improved contracts reflected that success and it is this ability that has attracted Koeman, who wants to setup a recruitment department similar to the one he had with Ross Wilson at Southampton.
