Everton have made contact over a possible move for Shakhtar Donetsk’s chief scout Jose Boto, according to Italian news outlet Tuttomercatoweb.
The Toffees appear to be on the lookout for additional impetus behind the scenes, and it seems the primary talent-spotter at Shakhtar has been identified as a target.
Boto spent eight years between 2010 and 2018 as the chief scout of Portuguese giants Benfica before making a move to Ukraine.
TMW’s report suggests that ‘concrete contacts’ between Everton and the 53-year-old have been initiated, with the future of current sporting director Marcel Brands seemingly under some scrutiny.
Read Everton’s verdict
The Toffees made some good moves in the summer, but there were still some flaws in their recruitment strategies.
Brands has had some time to make significant alterations to the playing squad, and while positive changes have certainly been made, there has been little sign of improvement on the pitch.
However, much of this owes to the shortcomings of Marco Silva and the players who have been selected by the manager.
With Everton in 18th place and in dire form, it comes as no great surprise to see the boss under immense pressure, with confidence among the Toffees faithful dwindling.
Brands deserves more time to truly stamp his mark on Merseyside, and while Boto presents an intriguing option following his success at Shakhtar, the board shouldn’t be focusing on replacements at boardroom level, but rather on the coaching staff.
