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Credit: Imago

Wayne Veysey

Thu 14 August 2025 16:00, UK

Everton have agreed a deal to hire Man City recruitment chief James Smith, sources have told Football Insider.

Smith is believed to be on a three-month period of gardening leave after quitting his role as City’s director of scouting and recruitment around six weeks ago.

He is then expected to return to Everton, where he previously worked in the club’s recruitment team.

It continues the behind-the-scenes revamp at the Merseysiders under recently-appointed chief executive Angus Kinnear.

He will be the second arrival from Man City following Jack Grealish, who completed a loan move to Everton earlier this week.

Grealish has joined Everton (Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media)

When Smith is officially appointed, he will effectively be replacing the Toffees’ ex-Head of Recruitment, Dan Purdy, who left to join Rangers earlier this year.

Purdy is now working for the Scottish giants alongside former Everton sporting director Kevin Thelwell, as the Merseyside club begin a new chapter in terms of recruitment.

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Smith first joined the Merseyside outfit back in 2003 and stayed for 10 years until moving with David Moyes to Manchester United.

Now Moyes and Smith are set to reunite at the Hill Dickinson stadium, in what could be an important partnership for Everton.

So far this summer, the Premier League club have had a fairly average transfer window, but they will hope this new appointment will revamp their recruitment process.

Moyes has worked with Smith before (Credit: Imago)

Meanwhile, Beto is expected to leave Everton for a new club at the end of the transfer window after falling foul of Moyes, sources have told Football Insider.

The centre-forward, 27, is on the radar of Premier League rivals Leeds United and could leave the Hill Dickinson Stadium in the next fortnight.

Sources have told Football Insider that Moyes has been unimpressed by Beto’s attitude during pre-season and is unhappy that the player has not “conformed” to his methods.

Everton are already working on bringing in a new striker, and potentially two front men if Beto leaves.

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