Jose Mourinho has been ruled out of the running to replace Sean Dyche as Everton manager.
Everton announced the decision to sack Dyche on Thursday with the club just a point above the relegation places. The Toffees have won just one of their last 11 games in all competitions and have scored just once in their previous five fixtures.
Everton’s new owners, The Friedkin Group, will now conduct a search for a replacement. However, The Athletic are reporting that Mourinho is not understood to be in the frame despite links to the Fenerbahce boss.
Mourinho previously worked under Everton’s new owners at Italian side Roma, who he led to the Europa Conference League in 2022. The 61-year-old has talked up a potential return to the Premier League after previous spells at Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham.
Speaking after being sent off in the Europa League in October, Mourinho told reporters: “The best thing I have to do is when I leave Fener is that I go to a club that doesn’t play in UEFA competition. So a club at the bottom in England who needs a coach in two years, I’m ready to go. I don’t want to speak anymore about it. I want to speak about the game.”
Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman have been placed in interim charge at Everton, ahead of tonight’s FA Cup third-round tie with Peterborough United. However, the duo are not expected to be in contention for the permanent role.
On the decision to sack Dyche, the Everton board said in a statement: “Everton Football Club can confirm that Sean Dyche has been relieved of his duties as Senior Men’s First Team Manager with immediate effect.
“Ian Woan, Steve Stone, Mark Howard and Billy Mercer have also left the Club.
“The process to appoint a new manager is under way and an update will be provided in due course.
“Under-18s Head Coach Leighton Baines and Club Captain Seamus Coleman will take charge of first-team affairs on an interim basis.”
