David Moyes has finally committed his long-term future to Everton, signing a five-year contract that ties him to the Goodison Park club until the end of the 2012/2013 season.

Moyes's previous contract had been due to run out next summer and there had been speculation that he might walk away from the club after what has been a difficult few months both on and off the pitch.

Everton last won a match at Stoke City on September 14 and endured a particularly difficult ten days at the end of last month when they were knocked out of the Carling Cup by Blackburn Rovers, outclassed at home by Liverpool in the Barclays Premier League and eliminated from the Uefa Cup by Standard Liège.

Moyes has repeatedly insisted it was only a matter of time before the new deal was announced and he is now delighted all outstanding details have been finalised.

“There have been many different things for different reasons but we are here now and the big thing for me is that I am at Everton, as far as I am concerned, for another five years and the job is to make us better than we have been," he said.

"I am really excited and really pleased. I am pleased for everybody – I’m pleased for myself and my family who were desperate to get it signed and secured and it is always what I wanted to do.

“I have enjoyed my time here so far and I am looking forward to the next part as well. There is definitely a consistency at the club, players know what they are doing and staff know what they are doing. It’s a great football club and I am privileged to be the manager.”

Moyes has transformed the fortunes of the Merseyside club since joining them from Preston North End in March 2002, though he has yet to win a trophy nor break the domination of the big four of Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and local rivals Liverpool.

He added: “Since I took over six years ago, I think there has been an improvement and the job is that I want a similar improvement over the next five years or so.

“I want the ambition to be greater. I want the expectancy to be higher and I want Everton overall to be higher on the field and off the field, I am determined to try and take it forward."

Having finally got their manager to sign his contract, Everton will now turn their attention to other key issues that must be addressed. There has been speculation over the ownership of the club with suggestions that Bill Kenwright, the chairman, might step down. Kenwright himself is on record that he cannot compete in the transfer market with the recent influx of billionaire owners into the Premier League. Also on the agenda will be the future of the controversial proposal to move to a new stadium in Kirkby.