Merseyside was rocked as Everton dismissed Sean Dyche from his duties hours before their FA Cup third-round tie against Peterborough.
The Friedkin Group have barely settled into their seat at the head of the table, but the ruthlessness shown by the new owners will perhaps feed supporters with a sense of ambition.
Everton are 16th in the Premier League, two points above the drop zone, and appear to have lined up a replacement already.
Everton lining up Dyche's replacement
Numerous sources including The Athletic have revealed that Everton have identified their former manager David Moyes as the top target to replace Dyche in the dugout.
Moyes has been out of work since departing West Ham United at the end of the 2023/24 season having led the Hammers to three successive European campaigns, the middle of which brought triumph in the Conference League.
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However, the Goodison Park side could go down a different track. Transfer insider Graeme Bailey has confirmed that Everton are interested in moving for former AC Milan boss Paulo Fonseca, having held talks with West Ham before they appointed Graham Potter this week.
Why Paulo Fonseca would be "perfect" for Everton
The most distinctive tactical shift would be in regard to Everton’s emphasis on ball retention. Fonseca led LOSC Lille throughout the 2023/24 campaign and recorded the second-highest possession average at 57%, behind only Paris Saint-Germain.
It’s a progressive and more modern-catered style, with reporter Robin Bairner confirming last year that Liverpool had “held talks” with the 51-year-old. The Reds won’t be displeased with their final decision given Arne Slot’s success, but it suggests that Everton might be in line for a wonderful new chapter.
Indeed, Fonseca has maintained a respectable points average across his past five clubs, and even though he was dismissed by AC Milan last month, the Portuguese’s 1.75 average far surpasses Dyche’s at Everton (1.23 per game).
AC Milan
24
1.75
LOSC Lille
90
1.79
AS Roma
102
1.76
Shakhtar Donetsk
139
2.37
FC Braga
57
1.82
Fonseca has confirmed in the past that he seeks to win, first and foremost, but that he strives to do so with style, commenting that his team’s set up to “dominate and create more chances than the opposition.”
A seven-time trophy winner with Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine, there would be no promises of silverware at Everton, but perhaps a willingness to drive the club forward and into warmer climes, away from the biting cold of the relegation fodder.
Moyes would be a more pragmatic appointment, but perhaps one which would add a layer of security and stability that Fonseca’s expansive approach cannot promise.
Couple that with the fact he’s “perfect in the dressing room”, as was said by Fabrizio Romano, if TFG want to show some ambition, this may be the perfect move to make.
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