New Everton boss Marco Silva could end up costing Farhad Moshiri an incredible £30million
Sam Allardyce's pay-off was worth £6m, with Silva earning £12m on new Everton contract and old side Watford picking up £12m fee
FARHAD MOSHIRI is about to discover whether the old adage of better late than never will apply to new boss Marco Silva.
And it could cost the Everton chief £30MILLION to find out.
For while Silva signed on as Sam Allardyce’s replacement yesterday, Goodison’s majority owner may have to pay £12m compensation to the 40-year-old’s former club Watford.
And that’s on top of the £12m he is handing to Silva, and the £6m it has cost to sack Allardyce.
Moshiri offered the Hornets £12m when he tried to nab their Portuguese coach last November as a replacement for Ronald Koeman.
Despite Watford’s stern hands-off warnings, Everton continued to chase Silva for two months.
They backed off when the Hornets sent them a ‘cease and desist’ letter — and appointed Allardyce instead.
Watford, who had been fourth in October, went on a run of one win in 11.
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And, when owner Gino Pozzo sacked Silva in January, the club issued a stinging statement.
They rapped: “Had it not been for the unwarranted approach by a Premier League rival for his services we would have continued to prosper under Silva.
“The catalyst for this decision is that unwarranted approach, something which the board believes has seen a significant deterioration in both focus and results to the point where the long-term future of Watford FC has been jeopardised.”
A mediation meeting held between the two clubs in April failed to resolve the issue.
And when Everton sacked Allardyce and made it clear Silva was their No 1 target, the Hornets put in an official complaint to the Premier League.
The Prem’s hierarchy may be forced to convene a commission to sort out the row.
If the decision goes in Watford’s favour, that original £12m offer is liable to come back and haunt Moshiri after Silva agreed a three-year Goodison deal worth a further £12m.
While Allardyce trousered £6m after being unceremoniously booted out last month, despite dragging Everton away from relegation trouble.
Goodison fans turned on him for not playing with enough style.
Silva, who was in charge when Hull were relegated from the Premier League in 2017, is aiming high with his new club though.
The former Sporting Lisbon and Olympiakos coach said: “I know what our fans expect — they expect results but not only results.
“I want our fans to be proud when they see our team on the pitch. I want them to feel we are committed, that we are working hard and enjoying our football.
“We want to build a great connection between the squad and the fans. Everton is a really ambitious club and that’s what I want.”
New director of football Marcel Brands, who gave Silva’s appointment his blessing, is optimistic that Everton have the right man to bring them success.
The Toffees have won nothing since lifting the FA Cup in 1995, a barren run of 23 years.
Brands said: “One of the most important things is that he’s a guy who wants to play attractive, attacking football and also wants to work in the structure we have at Everton.”