Everton are hoping to appoint Marco Silva as their new manager this week as the Blues prepare to take their summer shake-up into top gear.

Newly appointed Director of Football Marcel Brands will officially begin his duties with the club on Friday and there are hopes that he will be sat down with a new manager - expected to be Silva - before the week is out.

The Blues parted ways with Sam Allardyce a fortnight ago but both they and Silva have been locked in a dispute with Watford over compensation.

They hope to have that issue resolved before the weekend.

According to a report from the Daily Mirror, the Dutchman has already met with Silva and laid out his vision for club - reducing the hefty wage bill of an ageing first team squad and laying out a path for youth-team players to join the senior squad.

Signings are still expected but are expected to come after Everton are able to clear some of the deadwood in the squad.

Senior players such as Morgan Schneiderlin, Wayne Rooney and Ashley Williams are expected to be on the chopping block in part due to their subpar performances and drain on the club’s wage bill.

Rooney looks set to join DC United this summer - ending the return to his boyhood club just shy of 12 months - after spending a couple of days in the US Capital meeting club officials.

There is said to be interest in Schneiderlin from Marseille.

Summer, summer, summer plans

Silva’s seemingly imminent arrival at Goodison Park has been expected for weeks and months since Everton’s initial interest in the 40-year-old back in October.

Fans would have hoped to appoint him sooner but with the arrival of Brands only happening later in the week - yet, there is no rush.

The transfer window is open and Silva will have had plenty of free time to run the rule over the squad - at least from afar - since his departure from Watford in January.

They will have to work around the World Cup and other summer tournaments for youth players but those are distractions that every club will have to work against.

With the appointments of Brands and Silva, Everton are acknowledging that the ambition to chase the Premier League elite is a marathon, not a sprint.

After all, they don't have a bottomless pit of funds to throw at their chase.