Marcel Brands says Carlo Ancelotti's pedigree for improving players, coupled with the Italian's encyclopaedic knowledge of the game, made him the standout candidate to lead Everton into an ambitious future.

Director of Football Brands oversaw a presentation to Ancelotti of Everton’s “ideas and culture”, as the Blues moved to secure one of Europe’s pre-eminent bosses.

Ancelotti claimed Champions League success with AC Milan, twice, and Real Madrid and has won domestic titles in Italy, France, Spain and Germany.

The 60-year-old will join forces on Merseyside with Dutchman Brands, who was instrumental in PSV Eindhoven landing three Dutch championships in four seasons and worked beside experienced compatriot Louis van Gaal to claim an against-the-odds title success with AZ Alkmaar in Holland.

“I have worked with a few experienced and high-profile managers,” Brands told evertontv.

“My first impression of Carlo is that he is a very nice man, a gentleman and very experienced. He knows the world and the football world.

“He is quiet, a little bit like me, and I think we can work together very well.

“When we identify a [potential] new player, I try to give him a presentation of how we see him fitting in the Club and we did that with Carlo as well.

"We gave him a presentation of our club and squad and ideas and staff, the culture of the Club.

“He was really excited about it and that is the way it should work.

“Everyone has to know if we want to achieve something in this club, we need stability and time. Carlo was very positive about that.”

Everton owner Farhad Moshiri, Chairman Bill Kenwright and the Club’s Board were united in an effort to bring Ancelotti to Everton.

The former Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich boss, who signed a four-and-a-half year contract with the Blues, will take charge of his first game when Everton host Burnley in the Premier League on Boxing Day.

Ancelotti is inheriting a side in good spirits after a productive run under caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson – and eager to start working with a boss who trails a reputation for astute man-management and first-rate coaching.

“Carlo builds relationships with the players and gives them responsibility and confidence,” said Brands.

“That is really important for the squad we have.

“We have experienced players but also young players – and he can improve them.

“If you are a player in the dressing room, you like an appointment like this.

“Carlo has worked for some of the world’s biggest clubs and is a very experienced manager.

“A manager who is close to his players, so I think they are really excited about that.

He added: “It was good that the whole Board took part in conversations with the new manager.

“Our owner was very involved but also the Board, with the Chairman, Denise [Barrett-Baxendale, Chief Executive], me and Sasha [Ryazantsev, Chief Finance and Commercial Officer] and that was a very good thing.

“We were all very impressed by the way Carlo presented himself and with how he looked at Everton.”