IRON-CLAD DEAL COSTS EVERTON

From Back Page and Martinez. If another club wanted him, they would have to pay up the remainder of his contract in compensation to Everton. But if Martinez was sacked before the deal had run its course in July 2019, the club would have to pay him the full amount, too.

Convinced at the time Martinez (below) would build something special at Goodison, Kenwright said: ‘In many commentators’ eyes, Roberto Martinez is the best young manager in Europe. We agree. He took on an unfamiliar challenge for most managers, to take something really good and make it better. He has succeeded.

‘In his debut season he broke our Premier League record points haul, got us back into Europe and developed some of the most exciting young footballers in the game.

‘He conducts himself off the pitch in the same way. He undertakes his business with great style, confidence, positivity and class. He is an Everton man. We commit to our managers and we’re pleased that Roberto has committed to us.’

Everton finished fifth that season but were 11th in the following campaign — a consequence of struggling to combine the demands of the Premier League with Europe — and their worst position in nine years. The following season, matters did not improve, with a run of one win in 10 matches culminating in a crushing 3-0 defeat at Sunderland in Martinez’s last game in charge.

It was also the penultimate game of the season and the club finished 11th again.

Defeats in the semi-finals of the two domestic cup competitions were a further blow and lawyers acting for Farhad Moshiri, the British-Iranian billionaire who acquired a 49.9 per cent stake in Everton in February, argued that two seasons of disappointment should count against Martinez in talks over severance pay.

But Martinez’s legal team, led by Manchester-based sports lawyer Chris Farnell, had the benefit of an iron- clad contract clause Everton had no choice but to recognise.

In the end, Martinez agreed to a slight reduction, it is understood, if the payment was made in a single instalment and he could pursue other ambitions that took him to Belgium last month.

Everton declined to comment last night.