Martin O’Neill has emerged as the new favourite to become Everton manager.
O’Neill faces an uncertain future in charge of the Republic of Ireland after they failed to qualify for next summer’s World Cup finals.
The 65-year-old is yet to formally agree new terms with the Irish FA and is the latest name to be linked with the vacant Goodison Park hot seat.
Bookmakers have slashed odds on O’Neill, who managed in the Premier League with Leicester City, Aston Villa and Sunderland, replacing Ronald Koeman.
O’Neill regularly clashed with Koeman last season over the handling of James McCarthy as the midfielder’s run of games were regularly disrupted by injury.
Watford boss Marco Silva continues to be linked with the Blues despite his club rejecting several approaches in the previous fortnight.
Ex-Chelsea and Tottenham coach Andre Villas-Boas is also in the running while Burnley’s Sean Dyche remains an outside candidate for the role.
Everton’s majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri hinted that he is ‘close’ to naming a new manager with a shortlist of three understood to have been drawn up.
David Unsworth, the club’s under-23 coach, will continue to take temporary charge of first-team affairs for Sunday’s trip to Southampton.