Carlo Ancelotti has left his role as Everton manager to join Real Madrid.
Ancelotti returns to the club where he won the Champions League and La Liga during a two-year spell before being replaced by Rafael Benitez in 2015.
The Italian coach signed a four-and-a-half year contract at Goodison Park in late 2019 to great fanfare when he was appointed Marco Silva’s successor.
But Ancelotti quit his post with the Blues on Tuesday after only 18 months to take up the role at the Bernabeu recently vacated by Zinedine Zidane.
Everton’s director of football Marcel Brands unsuccessfully tried to persuade the 61-year-old to stay during last-ditch talks at the club’s Finch Farm base.
Ancelotti took charge of just one-and-a-half campaigns in which Everton finished in 12th and 10th place respectively in the Premier League table.
His sole full season at the helm saw them climb up to second in the league table on Boxing Day but rapidly disintegrated to finish barely in its top half.
Several ageing players arrived last summer including former lieutenants James Rodriguez and Allan but failed to fire the club to European qualification.
“I would like to thank the board of directors, the players, and the Evertonians for the tremendous support they have all given me during my time at the club,” said Ancelotti.
“I have complete respect for everyone associated with Everton and hope they can achieve the exciting opportunities they have in front of them.
“While I have enjoyed being at Everton, I have been presented with an unexpected opportunity which I believe is the right move for me and my family at this time.”
Ancelotti rejoins Madrid after making scathing remarks about the failed Super League, of which Real president Florentino Perez remains a driving force.
Most of his existing backroom staff on Merseyside, which includes son Davide and son-in-law Mino Fulco, are expected to follow him to the Spanish capital.
Everton are now preparing to make their sixth permanent managerial appointment in five years since Farhad Moshiri became majority investor.
Early contenders for the role are the club’s former boss David Moyes, now in charge at West Ham, and Nuno Espirito Santo, who left Wolves last month.