talkSPORT reporter says EFC doing "unusual" thing in manager hunt amid "meetings in London"

Everton owner Farhad Moshiri is set to hold a series of meetings today as he steps up his efforts to find Rafael Benitez's successor, according to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook.

Benitez was dismissed after winning just one of his final 13 Premier League games at the helm, and the search for his replacement appears to be nearing its conclusion. 

Several big names were initially linked with the vacant Goodison Park hot seat, including Wayne Rooney, Jose Mourinho and Roberto Martinez.

However, Everton's shortlist has now reportedly been slimmed down to a final three, with former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard, ex-Porto boss Vitor Pereira and current caretaker head coach Duncan Ferguson left in the running.

According to the Daily Mail, it's Lampard who has emerged as the leading candidate for the position at this moment in time, ahead of the final round of discussions.

The report also claims that Pereira was Moshiri's first choice to take charge of the Toffees until protests from the club's supporters put his job hopes in jeopardy.

He has missed out on the Everton manager's job twice before to Martinez in 2013 and Marco Silva in 2018, and will surely be hoping that it's third time lucky as he prepares for the decisive interview.

With the Merseyside outfit currently sitting just two places and four points above the relegation zone, choosing the right manager for the job could be crucial to their hopes of staying up.

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And Crook has revealed that Moshiri will speak to the three remaining candidates once more before announcing Everton's next boss. 

He told GiveMeSport: “On Friday, there are a series of meetings in London which Moshiri will again