Frank Lampard has been confirmed as the new manager of Everton just over a year after he was sacked from his post as boss of Chelsea.
The former Blues legend replaces Rafael Benitez as permanent boss of the Toffees, though Duncan Ferguson did take charge of their most recent clash against Aston Villa.
Lampard has penned a two-and-a-half year deal that sees him tied to the club until June 2024.
His first game at the helm will come in the form of a FA Cup fourth-round tie against Brentford at Goodison Park this Saturday.
After his appointment had been confirmed, Lampard sat down with Everton's club website to express his delight at his new role.
Lampard said: “It is a huge honour for me to represent and manage a club the size and tradition of Everton Football Club.
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"I’m very hungry to get started. After speaking to the owner, Chairman and the Board, I very much felt their passion and ambition.
"I hope they felt my ambition and how hard I want to work to bring it together.
He continued by praising the Goodison Park faithful.
“You can feel the passion Everton fans have for their club. That will be hugely important.
"As a team – the competitive level that the Premier League brings and the position we are in the table – we certainly need that.
"It’s a two-way thing. I think Everton is a unique club in that you can really understand what the fans want to see.
"The first thing they want is fight and desire and that must always be our baseline.
“My first message to the players will be that we have to do this together. We’ll try to do our job and I know the fans will be there backing us.”
Everton's divisive owner Farhad Moshiri has also issued a statement, giving fans an insight into the interview process and how Lampard won him over.
“I am really delighted that Frank has joined us. He is an impressive young man and off the pitch," Moshiri explained.
"He has played at the very highest level of the game and has football in his blood.
"He impressed us all greatly during the thorough interview process and we’re all ready to give him all of our support as he looks to give the team an immediate boost."
Lampard has already started building his own backroom staff and has opted to pry one coach away from former club Chelsea.
Joe Edwards has been with the Blues since Lampard's reign at Stamford Bridge started but will now leave west London to join his former boss in Merseyside as an assistant.
Former assistant to Carlo Ancelotti Paul Clement will also join the club as First Team Coach.
Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright has mentioned how Lampard's vision made him stand out as the ideal candidate.
“Frank impressed us greatly throughout our process, coming across as a modern, ambitious and exciting young manager," Kenwright claimed.
"He expressed a clear vision on how he wants to take the club forward and, importantly, a tremendous passion and genuine enthusiasm to join us.
"I’m sure Evertonians will give him the special welcome that only they can and will be looking forward to giving him and his coaching staff a warm Goodison welcome next weekend."
