Oxford United are set to approach Everton for under-23 coach David Unsworth.
Unsworth recently emerged as a potential successor in the League One side’s hot seat in the wake of Pel Clotet’s sacking at the end of last month.
The former Blues defender has been installed as the favourite to replace Clotet at the Kassam Stadium on the back of his brief spell at the Goodison Park helm.
He oversaw the club’s U23 outfit as they won the Premier League 2 title last season before subsequently serving as a stand-in at first-team level in October.
Before Sam Allardyce was unveiled as Ronald Koeman’s replacement, Unsworth took charge of eight games in all competitions, winning just two of them.
Although Everton are reluctant to lose their highly-rated youth coach, 44, they are not expected to not stand in the way of Oxford’s approach.
It is now expected that Unsworth will hold talks with The U’s next week.