Exclusive: Frank Lampard offered Everton job - poised to bring end to manager search

Frank Lampard has been offered the job of the new Everton manager,  which should bring to a close the tortuous process to find the successor to Rafael Benitez.

The former Chelsea and Derby County manager impressed in his second interview on Thursday and the decision was taken soon after by owner Farhad Moshiri and his advisors. The 43-year-old is expected to be in place for next week and the return of the squad to prepare for Saturday’s FA Cup fourth round tie against Brentford.

Lampard was interviewed again formally this week and made himself the stand-out candidate. The Portuguese coach Vitor Pereira confirmed in an extensive broadcast interview on Wednesday that he was a contender for the job. Wayne Rooney, another in whom Moshiri and club chairman Bill Kenwright, the former principal shareholder, had expressed an interest, said on Friday that he had turned down the opportunity to have an interview.

The current caretaker manager, Duncan Ferguson, is also understood to have been interviewed in London on Friday. The club had switched to those four candidates after the withdrawal of their first choice, Roberto Martinez, earlier this month when the Royal Belgian Football Association blocked any possibility of a job-share.

If he accepts, Lampard takes a squad low on confidence with just one league win since Sept 25 and facing the prospect of being drawn into the relegation battle. The club have made three signings this window, with the deadline looming on Monday.

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