Ex-Newcastle United and Sunderland managers in contention for Everton role as new owners set Dyche 'deadline'

Former Newcastle United and Sunderland managers are said to be in contention to replace Sean Dyche at Everton after speculation over his future dominated the headlines over the weekend.

Talk over the former Burnley manager’s long-term future ramped up over the weekend when the Toffees fell to a 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth to extend their run of form to just one win in ten Premier League games. More crucially, the loss at the Vitality Stadium also left Dyche’s side sat just one point and two places above the relegation zone as their attention now turns towards Thursday night’s FA Cup third round home tie with League One club Peterborough United.

Speaking to Sky Sports earlier this season as the Friedkin Group moved closer towards completing a takeover of the Toffees, Dyche said of his future: "I'm not really bothered. I don't throw my dummy out of the pram and try and make excuses. I like to get on with it. My contract situation is running down all the time, that's the way it goes. It's in good faith and I'll see it through in good faith no matter what will come. I just think that's the right way of working. If you get that right, the rest takes care of itself. If there's a business change, that might change things. I don't know anything about that yet, everything you read in the papers is all nonsense at the moment. Let's make that clear."

There have now been widespread reports suggesting the Friedkin Group are preparing to ‘hold talks’ over Dyche’s future and now ‘assessing the club’ over a 100-day period. The rumoured appointment of a new CEO could further complicate the situation for the current Toffees manager and there has already been speculation over who could succeed Dyche at Goodison Park. There are two surprising names said to be in the frame to become the next Everton boss and two managers that know all about the difficulties in managing the Toffees.

With odds provided by Gambling.com, former Sunderland boss David Moyes is currently said to be 7/4 favourite to make an emotional return to the club almost 12 years after he ended a decade-long reign at Goodison Park to join Manchester United. The Scottish boss has been out of work since he left his role at West Ham United at the end of last season after leading the Hammers to their Europa Conference League Final win against Fiorentina during the previous campaign.

More surprisingly, former Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez is rated as 2/1 second favourite just over two years after his controversial reign at Everton came to a close. After leading Merseyside rivals Liverpool to the Champions League, FA Cup and UEFA Super Cup during a six-year stay at Anfield, Benitez was an unpopular appointment at Everton during the summer of 2021 and his reign would last just 22 games before he was succeeded by Dyche during the early weeks of 2022.

England Under-21 manager and former Toffees midfielder Lee Carsley, Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick and former Chelsea managers Mauricio Sarri and Graham Potter are also said to be amongst the frontrunners to succeed Dyche if the Goodison Park hierarchy opt to make a change in the dugout over the coming weeks.