Everton are looking at ex-Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa as a potential replacement for Frank Lampard for the head coach’s position at Goodison Park, journalist Dean Jones has told GiveMeSport.
The Toffees relieved the former Chelsea manager of his position this week, with the Merseyside outfit sitting 19th in the Premier League and embroiled in a relegation battle.
Everton manager news – Frank Lampard
According to reports, Bielsa is under consideration to become the next Everton boss and has already showcased his interest in taking the vacancy, but enticing him to take the job could be a difficult task, as per the Liverpool Echo.
The former Whites head coach had been in contention to replace Scott Parker at Bournemouth before the Premier League’s break for the World Cup, but negotiations broke down in the late stages and the Cherries gave interim boss Gary O’Neil the job on a full-time basis.
Jones has also informed GiveMeSport that Everton could look to make a “left field” appointment and give the job to an inexperienced foreign manager such as Marcelino, as the club desperately attempts to avoid what could be a disastrous relegation to the Championship.
And the journalist has been informed that Bielsa is interested in taking the reins at Goodison Park, but his potential demands, including bringing in his own backroom team could prove to be a problem.
What has Jones said about Everton and Bielsa?
Jones told GiveMeSport: “Everton have had agents working on their behalf all over the world to bring potential names to the table.
“Bielsa is one of them and sources have indicated to me that he is interested, as long as the right environment can be put in place.
“That might prove a problem, particularly if he wants new players or a big coaching staff that will prove costly.”
Would Bielsa be a good appointment for Everton?
Bielsa – who has been described as a “world-class” manager by talkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara – enjoyed tremendous success during his three-and-a-half-year tenure at Leeds, earning the Whites promotion back to the Premier League for the first time in 16 years, before achieving a top-half finish in the club’s first season back in the top-flight.
However, the 67-year-old Argentine was eventually sacked in February of last year with the Elland Road outfit sitting just two points above the drop zone, before Jesse Marsch took over the reins and kept the club in the division.
Having had the experience of managing big European outfits such as Athletic Bilbao, Marseille and Lille, the prospect of taking the job at Goodison Park is unlikely to daunt the former Argentina manager.
Therefore, Bielsa could well provide the tonic that is needed to keep Everton in the top flight through his vast amount of experience, but the former Leeds head coach is likely to want to be given the full backing of the board ahead of what will be a defining second half of the season for the Toffees.
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