Everton should be excited about their new scout, who worked wonders at Bolton

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The Toffees failed to make much of a splash in the summer market but Dave Worthington could make the difference.

The overhaul of Everton’s behind the scenes staff has continued, with Director of Football Steve Walsh joined at Goodison Park by his former Leicester City colleague Dave Worthington.

The 71-year-old, brother of Bolton Wanderers legend Frank, has swapped the Premier League champions for a move to Merseyside just in time for the January transfer window as Everton hope to right the wrongs that blighted their summer dealings.

The Toffees missed out on the majority of their primary targets, from Lucas Perez to Moussa Sissoko (below) via Axel Witsel and Manolo Gabbiadini, meaning new majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri was forced to utilise his funds on astute signings from struggling Premier League rivals rather than marquee imports.

And though former Swansea City stalwart Ashley Williams and Aston Villa enforcer Idrissa Gana Gueye have been two of the club’s more consistent players this season, reports that Moshiri was unhappy with Walsh’s output hinted at an underlying frustration and a notion that progress in the market was proving slower than expected.

However, the arrival of Worthington is certainly a step in the right direction.

A respected European expert, he is credited as a major factor in Bolton’s mid-noughties overachievement, culminating in four top eight finishes between 2003 and 2007. Among others, Worthington helped bring solid centre-half Abdoulaye Faye and maverick forward Nicolas Anelka to The Reebok during his four years at the club.

“It was against everyone’s view to sign Anelka,” Worthington, who also counts Chelsea and Hull City on his CV, told the Grimsby Telegraph in 2010.

“Everyone thought he was moody and past his best, but a contact of mine grew up with him and was convinced he was just unhappy at Fenerbahce.

“He said Anelka had matured and started a family and was just a quiet lad with a bad reputation; his talent was wasting away there.

“He turned out to be a fantastic signing.”

Worthington also admitted to tracking current Tottenham Hotspur shot-stopper Hugh Lloris, arguably the Premier League’s finest goalkeeper, during his formative years with Nice while attempting to bring a fresh faced Samir Nasri over from Marseille.

Although he may not have the eye for the spectacular signing apparently desired by Moshiri, Worthington’s smart approach could help build for a positive future.