Everton report: Wayne Rooney a leading contender to replace Frank Lampard as manager

By Greg Lea
published

Everton could be set to make a managerial change amid a poor run of form

Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney could be in store for a return to Everton (Image credit: Getty)

Everton have included their former striker Wayne Rooney on their managerial shortlist should Frank Lampard depart the club, according to reports.

Lampard is under significant pressure at Goodison Park amid a poor run of form for the Toffees.

A 4-1 defeat by Brighton (opens in new tab) in the midweek round of Premier League fixtures means Everton (opens in new tab) have now gone seven games without a win in all competitions.

Frank Lampard

Frank Lampard is under pressure as Everton head coach (Image credit: Getty Images)

They dropped into the bottom three on Wednesday after Nottingham Forest (opens in new tab) beat Southampton (opens in new tab) at St Mary's.

The Guardian (opens in new tab) writes that Lampard will be in charge of Everton for Friday's FA Cup third-round tie against Manchester United (opens in new tab), but his future beyond that is uncertain.

And the former England international could be replaced in the dugout by his ex-team-mate Rooney.

The DC United head coach is one of several managers Everton are monitoring, according to The Sun (opens in new tab). 

Then-Derby boss Rooney rejected the chance the interview for the role before Lampard was appointed at the end of January 2022, but he may be more open to an approach this time around.

Everton have also been linked with a swoop for their former manager Roberto Martinez, who is available after leaving the Belgium job after their disappointing World Cup campaign in Qatar.

Everton

Everton were thumped 4-1 by Brighton in the midweek round of games (Image credit: Getty)

Sean Dyche and Ange Postecoglu are also under consideration by the Goodison hierarchy, but Lampard could yet earn a stay of execution.

Upcoming Premier League games against fellow strugglers Southampton and West Ham (opens in new tab) will be crucial to determining his future, although a poor result against United on Friday could spell the end for the 44-year-old.

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Greg Lea
Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).