Everton have announced that Steve Walsh has been appointed as director of football.
Walsh was previously assistant manager and head of recruitment at Premier League champions Leicester City, while he also worked as a scout for Chelsea and has been credited with recommending the signings of such players as Gianfranco Zola, Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N'Golo Kante.
"I'm proud and privileged to become Director of Football at such a fantastic and historic club," Walsh told the club 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."
BREAKING: Everton appoint Steve Walsh as Director of Football. Welcome to Everton, Steve. pic.twitter.com/3dWBAEn3Ba
- Everton (@Everton) July 21, 2016
Manager Ronald Koeman added: "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.
"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."
Leicester said they accepted Walsh's resignation with a "heavy heart."
"Steve has made a signification contribution to the most successful period in the club's history and it is with a heavy heart that we accept his decision to seek a different challenge in his career," said director of football Jon Rudkin.
"We thank him wholeheartedly for his service and wish him and his family well in the future."