Atletico Madrid have warned Everton that Diego Simeone is ‘untouchable’.
Simeone recently emerged as the preferred target for Blues supremo Farhad Moshiri in his search to find Ronald Koeman’s permanent replacement.
The Argentine coach has endured a difficult season with Atleti, who sit fourth in La Liga and face a likely Champions League group stage exit next month.
However the club’s president Enrique Cerezo insists that Simeone will remain at the Wanda Metropolitano after recently signing a new deal until summer 2020.
He said: “I want to say this in a loud voice – Simeone is untouchable at Atletico Madrid, for the players, for the directors and for the supporters.
“Having doubts about ‘Cholo’ Simeone is not allowed here.
“No club in the world has had 115 years of continuous and wonderful sporting success.
“We have had good, bad and average seasons and right now we’re in a good one.
“It only just started and we’re not even a third of the way through La Liga and we’re fighting for everything.”
Among the candidates tipped to succeed Koeman are Sam Allardyce, Burnley boss Sean Dyche and Everton’s current caretaker manager David Unsworth.