Report Claims Everton Wanted Diego Simeone as Club Aim to Become 'Atletico Madrid of PL'

Following the appointment of new Everton manager Marco Silva, it has been reported that the Toffees were initially interested in Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone, as the club aim to model themselves after the La Liga giants.

After sacking Sam Allardyce, it was recently announced that the Merseyside club had got their man and appointed Silva as manager, but it seems that despite their clear interest in Silva, the former Watford boss was not their first choice.

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According to the Times, it was Simeone who was the Toffees' top target. Despite the club's interest, a deal for the Atletico manager never became a distinct possibility. The report also claims Everton wish to model themselves on Europa League champions Atletico.

Despite not getting their first target, it seems as though Everton have found the next best thing, with Silva echoing the words of the hierarchy at Goodison as they look to build a club a Premier League version of the Madrid side.

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He said: “I know what our fans expect — they expect results but not only results. I want our fans to be proud when they see our team on the pitch. I want them to feel that we are committed, that we are working hard and enjoying our football because that is important as well."

Silva does have a history of improving his players and playing an attractive style of play, something of which the Everton fans were stripped of during the last few months of the season.

Only time will tell if Silva will be a success at Goodison, and it will be interesting to see if he is given the time to grow the club into the Atletico Madrid of the Premier League, following two managerial dismissal's in the past two years.