Everton can confirm the appointments of key positions as part of ongoing changes across the Club’s footballing departments.

Dan Purdy has been promoted to the role of Head of Recruitment, with Lee Sargeson replacing him as Manager of Scouting and Operations after joining from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Dan Micciche is appointed Academy Player Development Lead Coach, while Dan Copnall joins as Assistant Head of Academy Coaching (Foundation Phase).

Purdy initially joined Everton in 2014 as a Performance Analyst, rising to Technical Scout and Scouting Co-ordinator for the Men’s Senior Team before being promoted to Manager of Scouting Operations in July 2019.

After a brief spell away from the Club, he was brought back to Everton by Director of Football, Kevin Thelwell, in March last year.

Sargeson spent nearly six years as Senior Scouting Manager at Brighton, during which time the south coast club signed a wealth of talent who have gone on to make their mark in the Premier League. Sargeson previously held scouting roles at Aston Villa and Bolton Wanderers. 

Micciche will work with players aged between 17 to 21 in Everton’s Professional Development Phase (PDP). He joins with vast experience as a coach which has included first-team manager and head of coaching at MK Dons, assistant manager of Crawley Town and head coach of England Under-15 and Under-16s.

Copnall arrives from the Professional Game Academy Audit Company where he spent the past three-and-a-half years as coaching auditor, which included working with Everton Academy Director, Gareth Prosser. Prior to that, Copnall was Shrewsbury Town’s Academy Head of Coaching and an academy coach across all three development phases at Wolverhampton Wanderers.