It is understood Moyes and owner Bill Kenwright have agreed in principle a new deal for the Scottish manager, but both parties are now concentrating their energies on squad strengthening at Goodison Park.

But it is clearly accepted Moyes would not be planning a variety of transfer deals if he was not happy with his own personal future at the club, and the backing of the board on the transfer front.

It is likely Moyes - who has one year of his current contract to run - will eventually sign a new five-year deal, but with wages believed to be considerably higher than the £50,000 a week that has been speculated.

Moyes has been in charge at Everton for six years and he is likely to become a rarity in the Premier League with a contract that produces wages higher than any of his players.

It is understood no player in his squad is paid more than £50,000 a week.

Moyes and Kenwright are determined to break the club transfer record again during the summer, having done so with the £11.6million that was paid for Ayegbeni Yakubu last August - the third time they have broken the record since January 2005.

And they are now pursuing CSKA Moscow forward Jo - full name Joao Alves de Assis Silva - who has one Brazil cap and scored 30 goals in 52 games for his Russian club.

Moyes watched the 21-year-old play for CSKA against Lokomotiv Moscow a month ago. The fee could be around £18m for a player who is part-owned by Kia Joorabchian's MSI group, who were involved in the deals that brought Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano to England.

Everton also had dealings with MSI over the initial loan move that brought Manuel Fernandes to Merseyside, the Portuguese midfielder eventually leaving to join Valencia.

Fernandes was back on another loan to Everton last season, and Moyes is still considering whether to attempt another similar move for next season.

There is the prospect of a loan for Jo, but more likely a structured deal spreading a fee over several seasons.

Moyes' immediate priority is to find a replacement for midfielder Lee Carsley, who ended his six-year stay at Goodison Park on Monday when he joined Birmingham on a free transfer.

Moyes could pursue an interest in Chelsea's Steve Sidwell, although Aston Villa are favourites to sign the former Reading midfielder.

Moyes was on a scouting mission to France last weekend, where he watched Marseille's Cameroon international Modeste M'Bami in action against Strasbourg.