Joleon Lescott has revealed that he was ready to take up a role at Everton under Carlo Ancelotti and Marcel Brands before the pair left the club.
The former centre-back spent three seasons at Goodison Park before leaving the Blues in controversial circumstances to join Manchester City early in the 2009/10 campaign.
However, the former England international has now opened up on how he almost made a return to the club before Rafael Benitez was placed in charge at the beginning of the current term.
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The pundit, speaking ahead of Everton's clash with Aston Villa at Goodison Park, revealed he was being lined up for a player development role under Ancelotti and Brands - before the pair both left the club and the move fell through.
Lescott told BT Sport: "I knew they were trying to restructure the club a little bit and there was a role that was going to be new to the club in terms of development.
"I was going through the process of making the transition across from Man City.
"Over the summer when Carlo left, Carlo was on board with me coming in and working with certain players and I was keen to come.
"Obviously with the circumstances he left, it was his decision, he kind of made me aware that I was going into a club where the manager has to be on board.
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"They have so much power in today's game, I didn't want to come here and for the manager to be unaware of my role and for me to not feel needed.
"I paid a little bit more patience, I was still keen to come in with a reduced manner, but they brought Rafa in during the time I was working towards that role.
"Marcel left, who offered me the role, and it kind of made sense for me to not take the opportunity up. I just feel the structure and the system in place didn't suit the role that was on offer at the time."
