As we head into yet another weekend without a manager at Everton, is it possible the Toffees might still have a chance of prising Christophe Galtier away from Lille?
Stories are circulating that despite having been close to agreeing to join another French club Lille, that deal isn’t yet finalised and so in theory anyway Everton could still swoop.
These are tentative links for sure but the holdup is over the compensation package that Nice are willing to provide and so the deal, which seemed pretty much done and dusted a few days ago, might not happen.
This managerial search is such an exhausting and protracted process with so many twists and turns that you find it almost impossible to keep up with it.
All the smart money is still on Rafa Benitez to be the next Toffees boss but as long as there is any doubt and no official announcement, then rumours will continue to bubble up of an alternative.
Well this is one and it indicates that if Everton were still interested in the Frenchman there is still time for them and the club could move in and try and steal him from Nice.
I’ve felt that of the emerging list of candidates that Galtier is the most intriguing and perhaps has the most potential.
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The Lille boss has worked in England before as an assistant coach at Portsmouth a long time ago so he, sort of, ticks a box that I think is important to Farhad Moshiri in this process and that’s someone who has Premier League experience.
His most recent experience though is of winning an unlikely title in France’s top division, Ligue 1, something that wouldn’t have been predicted given how dominant PSG have been in recent years.
Anyway, the 54-year-old former St Etienne coach has a reputation for building a team over a relatively long period and integrating young players very effectively. He is also used to working with a Director of Football.
So at least on paper he does seem a pretty good option, if the club want to take a real punt and invest in a long-term plan.
However, that doesn’t seem to be the case and Everton do appear increasingly certain to go for what they think is the ultimate safe pair of hands to stabalise things on the pitch over the next few seasons. That’s assuming Benitez survives the probably overwhelmingly negative response and he gets off to a great start next season. We will get an announcement this weekend?