Frank Lampard agrees two-and-a-half-year deal to become Everton manager

Frank Lampard’s first game in charge of Everton will be an FA Cup tie at home to Brentford. Photograph: ANL/Rex/Shutterstock

Frank Lampard has agreed a two-and-a-half-year contract to become Everton’s new manager and has immediately set about bolstering the playing resources at Goodison Park with the impending capture of Dutch midfielder Donny van de Beek on a season-long loan deal from Manchester United.

Lampard’s appointment as successor to Rafael Benítez, who was sacked on 16 January after a defeat by Norwich City, comes about after final interviews were held on Friday with three candidates: Lampard, Vítor Pereira and the club’s caretaker manager, Duncan Ferguson. The former Chelsea and Derby manager was offered the job after impressing Everton’s majority shareholder, Farhad Moshiri, in his interview. Official confirmation of Lampard’s appointment as Everton manager is expected shortly.