Marco Silva is among the options that Everton are weighing up as the Merseyside club consider the future of manager Sam Allardyce, Goal understands.
The former Watford boss was the first choice of majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, who wanted him initially to replace Ronald Koeman.
Koeman was sacked in October when the club fell into the relegation zone, but ultimately it was Allardyce who took the hotseat.
The Hornets claimed that the Toffees' interest was an "unwarranted approach" and caused the team to lose focus, ultimately resulting in the sacking of the Portuguese boss.
In the meantime, Allardyce has succeeded in keeping the Goodison Park side in the Premier League but has not been a popular figure around the club, with fans recently booing him. This occurred most recently last weekend when Everton defeated Huddersfield 2-0 in a Premier League fixture.
Allardyce is insistent that he will remain in post next season, but he has yet to be publicly backed, with several sources believing that the Toffees want to keep their options open for a little longer.
“We discussed plans for next season with Farhad and we have some clarity moving forward now,” the 63-year-old said last week, before being asked if that means he will stay on next season. “Didn't I just say that? For clarification, yes.”
The club's chairman Bill Kenwright is thought to prefer Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe in the event Allardyce departs, but Moshiri holds the far greater influence over Everton's big decisions.
As things are yet to be fully decided, Silva is thought to have several options and he will likely be back in management next season.
