Football

Football   |   February 1, 2022

Vitor Pereira Favored to Be Named Next Everton Manager After Additional Negotiations; Frank Lampard Still a Possibility

Vitor Pereira is the frontrunner to become Everton’s next manager following additional discussions with the Toffees’ owner Farhad Moshiri. The former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard is also a potential replacement after departing Chelsea. However, there is no official decision made on the new manager. The announcement will be anticipated within the next 48 hours.

Former Porto and Fenerbahce Boss Vitor Pereira is the Front-Runner to Become the New Everton Manager

The Toffees are looking for a successor for Rafael Benitez, who was fired last week. After a conversation with Farhad Moshiri this week, former Fenerbahce boss Pereira has undertaken further negotiations, while former Chelsea manager Lampard is still being evaluated.

There has been no communication between Derby County’s manager Wayne Rooney – linked with a return to the club where he started his career. Earlier, Toffees boss Roberto Martinez and Everton’s Marco Silva were both candidates, but Pereira lost both times.

The club was interested in Belgium head coach Martinez, but that will not happen because the Belgium FA does not want him to depart ahead of the World Cup Competition in November.

Caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson now manages Everton, but he could not steer them to a good result on Saturday following a 1-0 home defeat to Aston Villa.

After the defeat, Everton is now 16th in the Premier League, only four points away from the relegation zone.

With crucial games against Newcastle United and Leeds United looming, a move on a permanent replacement for Benitez is likely this week.

Why Would the Toffees Return to Vitor Pereira?

Following Silva’s dismissal over two years ago, Pereira was highly tipped to replace him. The 53-year-old was in discussions with the Toffees for seven days and was widely believed to be the frontrunner.

While managing in China’s Super League, Pereira said: “It’s always an honor, and I’m appreciative to be considered for a roster by a club that I like. At the moment, I am the manager of SIPG – a club closely connected to my heart inside a country exploding with football talent.

“At the moment, I am unable to make any more obligations. I cannot decide now; I require time to reflect and plan my future by weighing all of my possibilities.

“It is a league I adore, and I would certainly explore a future chance.”

Everton also considered Pereira in 2013, before Martinez’s replacement of David Moyes, and the opportunity has presented itself to him once again this weekend, with sources in Portugal stating Pereira is already on the way to Merseyside for advanced negotiations.

Vitor Pereira is available following a disappointing spell at Fenerbahce, leaving the Turkish giants seventh in the standings and 14 points behind the top. If he was not appointed in 2019, how come he is being considered again now?

His fans would refer to his management experience at several great European teams, notably Fc Porto when he won a series of top-flight titles and Olympiakos. He won the Greek domestic double in 2015.

However, Pereira has the unfortunate record of relegating 1860 Munich to Germany’s third division following his six months in charge in 2016/17. Pereira arrived in January of that campaign but won just six of his twenty games, sparking recriminations about who was to blame.

“No one in the club expected or desired that we would be relegated,” an 1860 Munich official statement said at the time. “We recognize that this situation is not tolerable; sadly, in such a circumstance, there are only losers.”

The hiring of Benitez at Everton was a disaster, and there were no winners. 1860 Munich sought Kia Joorabchian before signing Pereira, and the super agent was sighted on Saturday in the Moshiri’s director’s box at Goodison Park.

In the context of the club’s impending decision to discontinue holding annual general meetings with shareholders, it’s far from clear that Pereira is the best choice to lead Everton at this point when the club is going through an identity crisis and is playing in a losing position.

An unexpected international break during January allowed Everton to take a breather and reassess their plans.

Choosing between a manager who can turn around an eight-year downturn at a club without a well-established internal football system and one who can do so during a strategic review is a difficult decision for Moshiri.

As a result, Everton’s upper management lacks any real expertise in football, including a sporting director, head of recruiting, or scouting chief. As a result, Moshiri will once again be in charge.