Everton’s new owners are expected to offer David Moyes the chance to return to Goodison Park after sacking Sean Dyche hours before the FA Cup tie against Peterborough United. Moyes, who left Everton for Manchester United in 2013, has been out of work since leaving West Ham at the end of last season.
The Scot’s availability, vast experience of the Premier League and of Everton make him an attractive proposition for The Friedkin Group (TFG) as it considers candidates who could secure the club’s top-flight status this season. Its first managerial appointment as Everton owners could happen quickly. Talks with Moyes will advance on Friday.
José Mourinho, whom TFG sacked at Roma 12 months ago and is now in charge at Fenerbahce, is not under consideration. Dyche’s departure was announced just over three hours before the FA Cup third-round game at Goodison. The Under‑18s coach, Leighton Baines, and the club captain, Séamus Coleman, were asked to take over at short notice.
Dyche’s backroom team of Ian Woan, Steve Stone, Mark Howard and Billy Mercer have all left the club. The 53-year-old is understood to have been in negotiations over a payoff since Monday, having indicated to TFG that he felt he had taken Everton as far as he could.
Everton’s owners were reluctant to make a change so early in the tenure, having stressed the importance of stability upon completion of the takeover on 19 December. TFG had spoken to Dyche about supporting him in the January transfer window, albeit within the restrictions of the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), but felt his attitude had changed after defeats by Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth. Talks soon diverted to severance terms.
Dyche was seeking a compensation package to cover the final six months of his Everton contract plus bonuses. TFG refused on the basis that his attitude to the job was tantamount to him resigning, a stance that Dyche rejected. He was sacked as soon as compensation terms were agreed. TFG is determined not to be viewed as a soft touch.
The now former Everton manager won only one of his final 11 Premier League matches in charge – and his team failed to score in eight of those games – and there were tensions over transfers with the club’s director of football, Kevin Thelwell. But it was Dyche’s admission that he could do no more with the current squad that prompted TFG to act.
There was interest in Graham Potter earlier this week but that did not develop to the stage of offering the new West Ham manager a contract. A club statement released at 4.32pm read: “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.
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“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 Séamus Coleman will take charge of first-team affairs on an interim basis.”
Dyche replaced Frank Lampard as the Everton manager in January 2023. He twice succeeded in preserving the club’s Premier League status despite major financial constraints and suffering two points deductions last season for previous breaches of PSR. But poor results, allied to a dismal style of play, drained support for the 53-year-old among supporters this season.
The former Burnley manager admitted on Tuesday that TFG should be planning his succession given Everton’s results this season. He was in talks over a payoff at the time. Dyche has delivered only three league wins in this campaign and, despite picking up draws against Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City over the festive period, Everton are fifth from bottom of the table and only one point above the relegation zone.