Everton will not appoint former Chelsea and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho as Sean Dyche’s replacement, according to reports.
The Toffees confirmed on Thursday that Dyche has left his role as manager, hours before the club host Peterborough in the FA Cup third round.
Club captain Seamus Coleman and Under-18s manager Leighton Baines will take charge of the cup tie on Thursday evening, with the club’s search for Dyche’s replacement underway.
The 53-year-old leaves Everton 16th in the Premier League table, only one point above the relegation zone, having earned only one victory from 11 in the top flight.
Dyche was approaching two years at Goodison Park but is not the man the club’s new owners, the Friedkin Group, want to navigate them to Premier League safety in the second half of the season.
Chelsea icon Mourinho – currently in charge of Turkish giants Fenerbahce – emerged as a shock favourite with the bookmakers to replace Dyche, but that move appears very unlikely.
Speaking last year, the Portuguese said he would never manage a team in a relegation battle.
“I’m never going to a team fighting relegation. I will never go,” he told Sky Sports in October 2024.
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“It’s too hard! Honestly, I believe that has to be the hardest thing. It’s more difficult than playing for titles. It has to be very hard emotionally, because it’s something that changes lives.
“I think it’s brave guys that do it.”
This is not what we are basing this whole report off of, for what it’s worth.
Horrible news: Jose Mourinho to Everton a ‘non-starter’
According to The Telegraph, hopes of Everton landing Mourinho is a ‘non-starter’ and they are much more likely to pursue former manager David Moyes, who has been out of work after leaving West Ham last summer.
Mourinho was actually sacked as AS Roma boss by Everton’s new owners last January.
Graham Potter was an option for the Toffees but he has just replaced Moyes’ replacement, Julen Lopetegui, at West Ham.
This means Moyes ‘is expected to be strongly considered’. The Scot manager Everton between 2002 and 2013 before replacing Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
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He left Goodison Park on great terms but it remains to be seen if he is open to returning 12 years later.
Meanwhile, Sky Sports correspondent Vinny O’Connor has ruled out Everton pursuing Mourinho.
“There’s a long list. I think one name we can rule out for now is Jose Mourinho,” he said.
“Our understanding is there has been no contact. I don’t think it would be the fit for Everton right now.
“One name that does stand out is David Moyes. I spoke to him a few weeks ago and his attitude then was that he doesn’t need to take on a club who is fighting relegation.
“At the same time, Everton means a lot to him and if an offer came in, it might be a difficult one to turn down.
“Another name being linked is Lee Carsley. If Moyes came in there is talk Carsley could come in as his assistant.
“Paulo Fonseca has worked under Everton’s owners but ultimately lost his job, as Jose Mourinho did, under these owners.”
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