The Echo is reporting that Nick Hammond has now started work at Everton, with his focus on the vital task of player recruitment.
Hammond follows Angus Kinnear from Leeds Utd, where they worked together as an administrative team for the last few years, and his move comes after Kinnear’s new position as CEO was confirmed last month. The transfer specialist had been expected to reunite with Kinnear this summer, continuing the relationship they had at Leeds United.
They form a key part of the new administrative setup established at Everton bt The Friedkin Group. Under the new setup, manager David Moyes is believed to hold significant influence and will work alongside Kinnear and Hammond to target and secure transfers during what is expected to be a busy summer transfer window.
Given the large number of departures from last season’s squad, and only a limited possibility for any to step up from the U21s, the need to bring in new players for next season goes without saying.
Nick Hammond was appointed as an interim football advisor for Leeds United on a short-term contract in June 2023. His primary responsibility was to help support the club during the summer transfer window.
His role in recruiting new players was to advise the owners in relation to players, conduct due diligence around potential signings, and oversee the financial aspects of transfer deals. He acted as a “freelance consultant” for trading and negotiating, a role highly regarded by then-chief executive Angus Kinnear.
Essentially, he provided an “extra pair of eyes” to advise on transfer business, having an opinion on players who had already been identified by the scouting team and taking direction from the head coach, specifically on player transfers.
He had a similar consultancy role at Newcastle United prior to joining Leeds, where he was involved in a successful transfer window that brought in key players like Dan Burn, Kieran Trippier, and Bruno Guimaraes.