Everton manager target is moving on

The latest stop in the Marco Silva managerial train route will not be Merseyside after all. The former Watford FC boss is apparently heading back home to Portugal, according to the Independent.

The Hornets complained long and loud that the Toffees protracted chase for Silva was a big reason for their slide down the table, which then resulted in his being sacked not so long ago. Meanwhile, Everton appointed Sam Allardyce and promptly gave up any pretenses of trying to play good attacking football for the rest of this godforsaken season.

Despite Big Sam having another full season on his contract, it is widely expected that he will be receiving the unkind end of the boot as soon as Everton play their last game of this season.

There have been plenty of names that have been mentioned to replace him at Goodison Park, top of the list being Paulo Fonseca (of Shakhtar Donetsk) and the aforementioned SIlva, as well as others like Luis Enrique and Diego Simeone.

Per Jack Pitt-Brooke, Silva has been approached by Benfica to replace their manager Rui Vitoria who has won the League title in each of his first two years but still stands to be replaced because the Lisbon giants are two points behind Porto this season.

The 40-year-old manager had been a long-time target for Benfica during his time at two other Portuguese sides Estoril and Sporting Club Portugal before he left for England in 2014. Since becoming available in late-January, Silva has been approached by relegation-threatened West Bromwich Albion, whom he turned down.

If he does land up back in Portugal, it’ll narrow the field of candidates who remain, if indeed Everton choose to part ways with Allardyce this summer.