Everton are working toward appointing Norwich City’s head of football development, Dean Rastrick, as their new academy director, with discussions already held as the club looks to settle a role that has been vacant since last season.
Rastrick has emerged as the leading candidate following a recruitment process overseen by technical director Nick Cox. If the move goes through, he would step in for Gareth Prosser, who left the position to join Al Jazira in the United Arab Emirates at the end of the previous campaign.
In the meantime, head of academy coaching Carl Darlington has been holding the position on an interim basis. Darlington stepped in to steady the department during the search and is expected to return fully to his original role once a permanent appointment is made.
Over the past year, he has also helped coordinate loan placements for several of the club’s young prospects.
Should Rastrick arrive, one of his first tasks will be overseeing further changes around the academy structure, including appointing a new loans manager and a head of academy recruitment.
Those responsibilities were previously handled by former Everton striker James Vaughan before he left the club last year to move into sports management.
Over the next 13 years at Spurs, he progressed through several positions, eventually becoming academy manager.
During that period, he oversaw the development of a number of players who progressed into senior football, including Mikey Moore, Troy Parrott, Oliver Skipp and Dane Scarlett.
If the expected move to Everton is completed, he would link up with Cox, himself formerly an academy director, as the club continues to rebuild its youth setup at Finch Farm.
