Everton players are believed to have reacted in shock when they heard the news of Carlo Ancelotti’s departure from the club to join Real Madrid earlier this week.
And it has left a number of them considering their futures, with the likes of Richarlison and James Rodriguez particularly disillusioned as a result.
Ancelotti was identified as Madrid’s choice to replace Zinedine Zidane on Monday, and they moved swiftly to get their man, with the Italian’s move becoming official on Tuesday.
It has come as a huge blow to the Toffees, who were planning for a long-term future with Ancelotti at the helm and were preparing to back him in the transfer window this summer.
(Image: Pool via REUTERS)
And according to The Athletic the overriding feeling among the majority of the Everton squad was one of complete surprise and dismay when they were told the news.
Tellingly, none of the senior team have sent farewell messages to Ancelotti on social media, suggesting they may feel betrayed and angered by his move.
And by the day after Ancelotti left only Richarlison and Rodriguez still followed him on Instagram, with the rest of the team seemingly ready to move on.
Richarlison is thought to be particularly hurt by the events of the last few days, as he had an especially tight bond with Ancelotti, who had initially convinced the Brazilian to stay at Goodison Park when he was previously looking for a transfer.
Rodriguez, meanwhile, was lured to Everton mainly on the premise of linking up with Ancelotti again, who he previously played for at Madrid.
Now that he is gone, the Colombian playmaker may well be another one who is left considering his future on Merseyside.
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The whole situation has left Everton in a real mess, and they will now have to move quickly to appoint a new manager to take them forward and attempt to placate some of the ill-feeling amongst the squad.
Former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo is currently the favourite for the job, while the likes of David Moyes and Eddie Howe are also in contention.
Whether or not the new man can convince some of Everton’s key players to stay remains to be seen, but there can be no denying that the Toffees’ pre-season has got off to the worst possible start, and supporters are likely to be feeling pretty bleak about the future.
