Everton Confirms Sam Allardyce Will Be Taking Reins as Next Manager

Sam Allardyce will be taking the reins at Everton as the club's new manager.

Everton have all-but-confirmed the appointment of Sam Allardyce as the club's new permanent manager.

After six weeks of laborious searching, the Toffees have bitten the bullet and handed the 63-year-old an 18-month contract after Allardyce agreed to re-open talks over the possibility of taking over at Goodison Park.

The club's official Twitter account made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon after speculation has increased that his installation was imminent.

Sam Allardyce will be at USM Finch Farm this afternoon to finalise terms on becoming the new manager of Everton Football Club.

David Unsworth will remain in charge of the Blues for tonight’s Premier League match against West Ham United at Goodison Park. pic.twitter.com/5CkrZrQEgv

— Everton (@Everton) November 29, 2017

Majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri also told talkSPORT presenter and close confidante Jim White why he had decided to install Allardyce as the club's new senior manager.

Moshiri:"We need a strong leader, he gives us that." Allardyce will be at Goodison tonight.

— Jim White (@JimWhite) November 29, 2017

Allardyce will appoint former Leicester boss Craig Shakespeare and trusted assistant Sammy Lee as his number 2s with the Blues, while the likes of Unsworth and Duncan Ferguson will also be kept on his staff.

Allardyce had initially ruled himself out of the running for the vacancy after Everton's board deliberated too long on whether to appoint him or not, but returned to the negotiating table after the Blues suffered blow after blow in their pursuit of a new boss.

Watford rejected two bids from Farhad Moshiri for Marco Silva's services, while Shakhtar Donetsk opted not to let Paulo Fonseca leave Ukraine to head up Everton's first-team squad after he was installed as a late candidate for the job.

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Louis van Gaal and Diego Simeone also rubbished media speculation about taking over on Merseyside and, with their shortlist falling by the way side, Everton's board felt they had no choice but to appoint the man dubbed 'Fireman Sam.'

Allardyce holds the proud record of never having been relegated from England's top flight, and has led Bolton, Sunderland and Crystal Palace to safety from the trap door during his time in the Premier League.

The former England manager has been out of work since his shock departure from Selhurst Park in July, and will be tasked with keeping Everton up after their horrendous start to the season.

The Blues find themselves 17th in the league standings having suffered seven defeats in 13 matches, and have the worst 'goals against' column in the division with 28 goals shipped already this term.