Everton manager Sam Allardyce has admitted that he needs a director of football.

Steve Walsh currently occupies the position but has come under intense criticism this season.

After spending heavily in the transfer market last summer, the Toffees would have been hoping to challenge for a place in the top four.

However that has not been the case and they even flirted with relegation before Sam Allardyce was appointed as manager of the club, succeeding the sacked Ronald Koeman.

Allardyce has admitted that the club needs a director of football, amidst speculation that they will move for PSV’s Marcel Brands.

“Yeah I do [need a director of football],” Allardyce said.

“He has to get out and about and sit and negotiate to start the process and then move forward – and that relationship is key.

“Our department and me as a manager provide the information with the sporting director and we both calculate our information and then we have to deliver and say what’s best for the team.

“My position with Marcel Brands has to be when he officially arrives and when Farhad [Moshiri, Everton’s owner] says that he’s officially here. I’ve heard the speculation for many weeks.

“And then it would be a sit-down on what is the process from there.

“I’ve said even before Marcel Brands comes in our position needs to be the right flow for all departments to come together and make the right decisions to scrutinise whatever we’re doing and be brave enough to say ‘no’ sometimes to what we want to get because it’s too expensive.

“Be brave enough to say that and move on to the next one and not be held to ransom.

“I’ve got the feeling it’s very difficult now in a negotiation to, once you’ve targeted a player, to not just say ‘yes’ because you want that player so badly and go that extra mile. You’ve got to be brave sometimes and say, ‘We’ll wait and see.'”

Since being appointed as manager of the Toffees in December, Allardyce has steadied the ship at the club.  Results have improved and the club will now likely finish the season on the top half of the standings.

However many fans of the club have not been happy with the style of play that Big Sam has brought to the club. Some fans have even suggested that the club should look for a new manager.