

Everton’s head of recruitment Dan Purdy is set to become the latest high-profile figure to leave the club.
Purdy had initially been earmarked for the new role of head of player identification as part of a revamped recruitment structure put together by incoming CEO Angus Kinnear. However, the 31-year-old is instead expected to pursue an opportunity elsewhere.
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It is now anticipated that Purdy will join outgoing director of football Kevin Thelwell in leaving the Merseyside club in the coming weeks. Thelwell’s contract was not renewed by Everton’s owners The Friedkin Group (TFG), and it was confirmed last week he will take on an equivalent role at Scottish Premiership side Rangers.
A former manager of scouting and operations for director of football Marcel Brands, Purdy left Everton in December 2021 during Rafa Benitez’s turbulent spell as manager. He returned to his old role when Thelwell replaced Brands in March 2022, and was promoted under the former Wolves director of football’s watch to head of recruitment at the start of the following season.
Purdy has been an increasingly influential figure behind the scenes at Everton in recent years. He played a key role in the additions of Amadou Onana from Lille, James Garner from Manchester United and, last summer, Iliman Ndiaye from French side Marseille. He and Thelwell had also tracked winter addition Carlos Alcaraz, a deadline-day loan signing from Flamengo in Brazil, for a number of years.
With Everton operating on tight budgets, most deals were structured in a way as to avoid an up front fee.
The club’s perilous financial predicament prior to TFG’s takeover meant they often resorted to solutions from the loan market. This season, Everton have signed five players — Jack Harrison, Jesper Lindstrom, Orel Mangala, Armando Broja and Alcaraz — on temporary deals.
Despite those challenges, Purdy remained well regarded at the club and further afield.
The expectation had been that, unlike Thelwell, he would play a part in Everton’s summer squad overhaul. Kinnear and TFG will now have to quickly source a replacement before a key transfer window in which 15 Everton players are set to see their deals expire.
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As previously reported by The Athletic, former Leeds consultant Nick Hammond is primed to take on the role of head of trading in Kinnear’s new structure. Manager David Moyes will be another influential voice in the new-look transfer committee.
Some of Thelwell’s duties will be taken on by a new director of football operations. Recruitment for that position is still in process and being handled by executive search firm Nolan Partners.
Everton are 15th in the Premier League table, having secured their top-flight status before their summer move to a new stadium on Liverpool’s waterfront.
(Top photo: Dan Purdy, centre; Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
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