CONFIRMED: Everton appoint Frank Lampard as their new manager

Everton’s tortuous search for a new manager is over with the appointment of Frank Lampard on a two-and-a-half-year contract.

The former Derby and Chelsea boss succeeds Rafa Benitez, who was sacked earlier this month following defeat at Norwich after just six months in the job.

His coaching staff will be made up of Joe Edwards as his Assistant Manager, Paul Clement as First Team Coach and Chris Jones as First Team Coach and Head of Performance. Former England left-back Ashley Cole has also been linked with a coaching position. Duncan Ferguson and goalkeeping coach Alan Kelly are expected to stay on too.

After a long and drawn out process Lampard won out over caretaker boss Duncan Ferguson and Vitor Periera, who was reportedly in the driving seat earlier this week before fan protests and an ill-advised Sky Sports News interview torpedoed his chances.

There was speculation that Ferguson would leave after missing out on the top job once more, but he has been offered a place on Lampard’s backroom team.

The Blues find themselves in a perilous position in the league table, sitting in 16th place just four points clear of the drop zone, though they do have games in hand. Lampard is not going to have much time to settle in with his first game in charge the FA Cup Fourth Round clash at Goodison Park against fellow Premier League side Brentford, followed quickly by a trip to Newcastle and a home game with Leeds United, with both league clashes against sides hovering around the Blues in the table.

Even before that though is the upcoming January transfer window deadline day on Monday, with the Toffees desperately needing reinforcements with Abdoulaye Doucoure, Tom Davies and Fabian Delph all injured, and Jean-Philippe Gbamin likely on his way too. Donny van de Beek is believed to have signed a loan deal from Manchester United until the end of the season.

With the spectre of relegation hanging over them, Everton simply had to get this appointment right. Whether they have or not we will likely know in a matter of weeks.