Davide Ancelotti, the son of Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, is reportedly in the running to become the next Everton manager.
The Toffees are on the lookout for a successor to Frank Lampard, who was relieved of his duties on Monday after almost a year in charge.
After losing 11 of their 20 Premier League games this season, Everton are facing the prospect of relegation as they currently sit 19th in the table, albeit only two points adrift from safety.
It is understood that former Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa and former Burnley boss Sean Dyche are the current frontrunners to replace Lampard.
The Daily Mail claims that Bielsa is in fact Everton's first-choice candidate to take the reins at Goodison Park, and the 67-year-old has been spotted arriving at Heathrow Airport ahead of holding talks with the Toffees hierarchy in London.
© Reuters
Whether Everton can strike a deal with Bielsa remains to be seen, though, with the Argentine said to have reservations about the current squad and its potential to quickly adapt to his high-tempo philosophy.
Bielsa could also request for a long-term contract over a short-term deal until the end of the season and may seek to recruit his own backroom staff to join him at Goodison Park.
Should a deal for Bielsa fail to materialise, Spanish news outlet Marca claims that Real Madrid's assistant coach Davide Ancelotti has been identified as a potential alternative.
The 33-year-old has been the assistant to his father Carlo for the last six-and-a-half years, firstly starting out at Bayern Munich and Napoli before moving to Everton in 2019.
After Carlo opted to return to Real Madrid in the summer of 2021, Davide followed his father to the Santiago Bernabeu, where the Italian duo won the La Liga title and Champions League last season.
© Reuters
The report adds that Ancelotti Jr is not desperate to leave Los Blancos, but he would be open to the possibility of beginning his managerial career with Everton.
Ancelotti revealed last year that he has ambitions to follow in the footsteps of his father and become a first-team manager.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the Italian said: "I want to be a manager one day and he is the best example I can have. I am really lucky to be his son, it is the best thing in the world if you want to be a manager."
Former Athletic Bilbao, Valencia and Villarreal manager Marcelino, who has been out of work since May 2022, is also believed to be on Everton's radar.
Oliver Thomas
