Next Everton manager: Sean Dyche replacement 'agreed' and 'to be confirmed' today

Everton dropped the bombshell news that they had sacked Sean Dyche as manager mere hours before their FA Cup clash with Peterborough United on Thursday night. The club confirmed the 53-year-old’s immediate departure and the Toffees went on to win the Goodison Park fixture 2-0.

“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,” Everton announced in their official statement.

“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.”

Rumours have already been flying as the Blues search for their next manager and bookmakers have listed their favourites to take the job. Everton have picked up just three wins in the Premier League this season and are currently one point above the relegation zone.

The Toffees have struggled at the bottom of the table for the last three seasons and they will now spend the second half of the 2024/25 fighting to put daylight between them and the drop under new management.

New Everton manager favourites revealed

Moments after the news was official, bookies named their odds for the candidates most likely to replace Dyche. The likes of Jose Mourinho and the recently-sacked Steve Cooper and Gary O’Neil have been thrown into the mix to take over at Goodison Park. Interim manager and U18s head coach Baines has also been mentioned but the club legend has ruled himself out of contention for the full-time position.

Asked if he would be applying for the job, Baines replied: “I’m not, no. I am happy to help in whatever way I can. I am really proud I got to help out today and support the club, which is what we love to do. What happens next, I don’t know, everything moved that quickly today.”

The main man now in the spotlight to take over at Everton though, is David Moyes. There has been a rapid surge in information linking the Scottish coach with a return to the Blues, having managed them between 2002 and 2013.

David Moyes in talks with Everton

Moyes has become the top target for Everton and according to TBR Football, the 61-year-old has ‘agreed to rejoin’ the Toffees and it set to make his Goodison Park return on an initial deal running until the end of the season. The report claims his arrival is set to be confirmed today, just one day after the departure of Dyche. He is expected to have a face-to-face meeting with the club before penning his signature ahead of the weekend.

BBC Sport has also provided a similar update, reporting that Moyes and Everton are currently ‘in talks’ and negotiations over a contract will continue today. Moyes has been out of a job since May 2024, when he left West Ham by mutual consent following the expiration of his contract.