MONTE CARLO In luring Ancelotti, Everton make a statement: They’re back in big time

ANCELOTTI FACTFILE

AFTER four sacked gaffers, Farhad Moshiri could finally be about to make the kind of statement he promised Evertonians when he arrived at Goodison Park.

Moshiri talked of restoring this grand old club to the top table of English football when he first bought into Everton in February 2016. He had big plans to make the Blues a force again to compete with that lot across Stanley Park.

But while Moshiri (below) could talk the talk, walking the walk proved more difficult as he went through Roberto Martinez, Ronald Koeman, (centre) Sam Allardyce (bottom) and, most recently, Marco Silva (top) in less than four years.

He could not find the right coach to deliver the sustained success Evertonians have been craving for the 24 years since they last lifted a trophy.

But in Carlo Ancelotti, Moshiri may be about to hit the jackpot.

The Italian has seen it, done it and got the T-shirt in Europe’s five big leagues.

He has won three Champions Leagues – two with Milan and one with Real Madrid – as well as the domestic title in Italy, England, France and Germany. He has always been open to returning to England since Chelsea decided he was no longer right for them in 2011, 12 months after he had won the Double in his first season.

Liverpool considered appointing him as Brendan Rodgers’ successor before going for Jurgen Klopp in 2015. Now Ancelotti could finally be poised to move to Merseyside.

Evertonians have often bemoaned their lack of luck but they have enjoyed a slice of good fortune in getting Ancelotti around a table in London for talks. Their No.1 target was Shanghai boss Vitor Pereira, only for the Portuguese to rule himself out.

Napoli then did them a huge favour by sacking Ancelotti last Tuesday within hours of him leading them into the last 16 of the Champions League.

Suddenly one of the world’s most successful coaches was available and Moshiri wasted no time in acting. Moshiri knows he has to get this appointment right because of his past failures.

He has provided the cash to rebuild Everton, pumping in nearly £350million for players since 2016. Yet finding the right coach has proven far more problematic. Ancelotti could change all that. He may be 60 but he remains as sharp. His record against Liverpool over the last 15 months suggests he has been Kryponite to Klopp’s Supermen, with two wins and a draw from four clashes. That on its own would be enough to endear him to Evertonians and they will be excited that finally they could be about to land the calibre of manager they have craved. Caretaker boss Duncan Ferguson ruled himself out of running, saying Everton needed “the best manager in the world”.

And in Ancelotti, they would have one of the very best.

1996-1999.

CLUBS MANAGED Reggiana 1995-1996. Parma Juventus 1999-2001. AC Milan 2001-2009 – Club World Cup 2007; Champions League 2003, 2007; UEFA Super Cup 2003, 2007 Serie A 2004; Italian Cup 2004; Italian Supercup 2004. 2009-2011 – Premier League 2010; FA Cup 2010; Community Shield 2009. 2011-2013 – Ligue 1 2013. June 2013-May 2015 – Champions League 2014; Spanish Cup 2014; Club World Cup 2014; Uefa Super Cup 2014. 2016-2017 – Bundesliga 2017; Super Cup 2016, 2017. 2018 to 2019.