Marco Silva has said he is the man to restore stability to Everton and will not stand in the way of Wayne Rooney’s proposed move to DC United.

The 40-year-old was unveiled as Everton’s latest manager on Monday alongside the new director of football, Marcel Brands, and both claimed they could not prevent Rooney joining MLS should he decide to relocate to Washington. Everton and DC United are close to agreeing a deal, Brands confirmed, but the final decision rests with the former England and Manchester United captain. Rooney has one year remaining on his contract, with the club having an option for an extra year, although Silva appears unlikely to block a departure this summer.

“It’s not in my hands,” said Silva, who signed a three-year contract to succeed Sam Allardyce last Thursday. “It’s Wayne’s decision with the club, before I came. For sure, before everything is done, I will talk with Wayne because he is a club legend and I hope everything works out for him and the club. Wayne needs to take this decision and the club needs to take this decision as well. Of course, when everybody talks about his legs, nobody expects Wayne is the same Wayne as five or 10 years ago. It’s not just with him. It happens with all players.”

Brands suggested Rooney’s transfer is in the advanced stages and that the 32-year-old wants to end his playing career in MLS. “From what I understand the clubs are close to having an agreement but it is up to Wayne, of course,” he said. “When I came in the club there was a lot going on already with DC. I haven’t spoken to Wayne myself. I will definitely do that in the coming days but I understand that he wants to make the next step in his career to the MLS like a lot of big players did. The only thing I have to say to him is, if he wants to come back, the door will always be open for him. Whatever role he wants we will help him build a new career after his football career.”

Silva’s appointment was finalised after a meeting with Brands, although the Portuguese coach had been the preferred target of Farhad Moshiri, Everton’s major shareholder, when Ronald Koeman was sacked in October. Watford, who sacked Silva in January, and Everton have yet to agree a compensation package for the former Hull City manager.

Silva is the third permanent manager Moshiri has hired in two years and his career has been similarly unstable, having failed to stay longer than a year at any of his past four clubs.

The former Sporting Lisbon and Olympiakos coach was only three months into his first season with Watford when courted by Everton but insists he is committed to Goodison for the long term.

He said: “When I prepared for this press conference I expected this question. Stability is something the club needs. I need it as well, for my career. It is easy to understand when Everton performed better it was when they had stability.

“It is something I had in mind when I started my career too. I want to find it for my career, and everyone – the owner, the chairman – wants that as well. The answer [to whether his head will be turned by another club] is no. The answer for the fans is clear: no.”

Silva claimed he had a small list of “big names” he wants to bring to Everton and that he needs time for the rebuilding job required following the Koeman and Allardyce eras.

“Before we look at the top-six clubs we should look at ourselves,” he said. “Our fans will find it easier if they feel our team has big commitment, a big attitude and big ambition as well, even if they know we don’t have the same budget as other teams who will be stronger in the market.

“We must build. You need to have your feet on the floor sometimes but you cannot take away the ambitions of the fans. This pressure is normal in a big club.”