Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard are set to be interviewed for the vacant manager’s position at Everton following Rafa Benitez’s sacking, according to reports.
The Toffees relieved former Liverpool boss Benitez of his duties on Sunday with the club lying in 16th place and embroiled in a relegation battle after just one league win since the start of October.
Everton are now searching for a replacement manager with the likes of former Toffees boss Roberto Martinez and ex-Bayern Munich coach Niko Kovac among the list of candidates.
And according to The Telegraph, former England teammates Rooney and Lampard are on a shortlist of four names and both coaches will speak to Everton about the vacant role.
Former Everton midfielder Rooney, who came through the club’s academy and underwent two spells at Goodison Park as a first-team player, is currently at Championship club Derby, who are in the relegation zone of the second tier.
The Rams were deducted 21 points earlier this season due to financial irregularities, but Rooney has given the club a fighting chance of survival, winning four out of their last five league games to lift them up to 14 points.
Derby, however, are still eight points from 21st-placed Reading in the lowest Championship safety spot having played a game more than the Royals – while the club also face the possibility of liquidation in just a fortnight’s time.
But Rooney, who is Manchester United and England’s all-time record goalscorer, could be offered a way out at Pride Park should he be handed the Everton role.
His former England teammate Lampard, meanwhile, has been out of a job since being sacked by Chelsea 12 months ago.
The 43-year-old, who used to coach Derby, took the Blues into the Champions League in his first ever season as a Premier League manager, but was sacked when the club were sitting in ninth place this time last year.
Lampard has remained out of the game since then, with his only public appearance in football coming as a Euro 2020 pundit on England games for the BBC.
As Sportsmail revealed this week, talks to appoint former Toffees boss Martinez have stalled after the club failed to reach an agreement with the Belgian FA.