Everton have made Friday their managerial D-Day, as they look to appoint a new manager before the transfer window closes.
The club will interview - once more - all the candidates on their short-list, as they complete an exhaustive process before deciding on the man to succeed Rafa Benitez.
It is understood that despite interviewing twice already, controversial Portuguese coach Vitor Pereira will again speak to owner Farhad Moshiri and the club’s board.
And he will essentially go head to head with Frank Lampard, who will also have a third interview, after speaking with Chairman Bill Kenwright last week, and Moshiri earlier this week.
Current Blues assistant boss Duncan Ferguson is also on the short-list and will be interviewed as a third candidate, with the club giving him the opportunity to make his case for the role.
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Wayne Rooney was the fourth man on the short-list, and Everton were keen to have him in the discussion, it is understood he is reluctant to enter into a ‘beauty pageant’ and he has so far rejected the process.
Only after that final round of conversations will the club make a choice on the man they want to get them out of the relegation trouble that is currently haunting the club.
And the Mirror understands, key areas will be explored with the prospective new boss, namely: the need for an extensive and thorough plan to ensure that Everton avoid relegation this season, and then a longer term blueprint for next season and beyond to rebuild the team and the club.
Pereira’s inclusion in the final round of interviews is particularly interesting after the fan backlash to the Mirror story that he was Moshiri’s preferred candidate, and was close to being offered the job.
There were fan protests in the streets around Goodison, and the Portuguese coach was forced to give a strong TV interview defending his record, and explaining his plan to revive the Blues.
Moshiri was worried about the reaction of supporters, especially after the fury he provoked after appointing former Liverpool manager Benitez, and pulled back from making the appointment.
But now the dust has settled a little, it is clear Pereira is still very much in the running to secure the job, with Lampard the other strong contender after coming across well in his initial talk with the owner.
Rooney could still make a late play for the job if he feels the club really want him, though that is unlikely at this stage of the process, while the executive will scrutinise Ferguson’s plans on how he intends to develop the team.
Crucially, Everton are in the market for at least two signings before the transfer window closes, and they know they must have a manager in place before they do that.
Midfielders Abdoulaye Doucoure and Fabian Delph have both been ruled out for at least a month, and the new manager will be expected to rubber stamp cover in that position, while a centre half is also on the radar.
And that means the best candidate is likely to be offered the job on Friday, and be in place by Monday, when the Everton players return to the training ground, and the transfer window closes.
