Everton owner Farhad Moshiri has insisted that he would like a new manager in place by Friday (January 27th) in order to maximise the time available for the appointee to prepare for the visit of Arsenal to Goodison Park next week.
The Blues are searching for a replacement for Frank Lampard, who was relieved of his duties on Monday evening after just under a year in charge at Goodison.
A number of names have subsequently been linked with the post in the past few days, with former Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa reportedly the preferred option.
However, the services of the experienced Argentinian coach come at a price, which may prove to be a stumbling block in terms of the negotiations progressing to the next stage.
Bielsa and his backroom team would cost Everton a fee in the region of £1 million per month, a figure that could be beyond what the Toffees are prepared to pay, or indeed can afford.
The 67 year old coach has a unique style when it comes to negotiating a deal whereby he requests a fee that he then distributes amongst his coaching staff, who come as a non-negotiable part of the Bielsa package.
Therefore, the reported £1 million per month salary would include Bielsa, and his entire coaching team.
However, there are said to be concerns at Everton not only about the sizable cost this would incur, but also the consequences of such wholesale changes to the structure of the backroom team.
An experienced manager, and preferably one who has previously managed in the Premier League, would be ideal for the club in the current situation, and a root and branch overhaul of Everton’s current set-up has been a long time coming.
Bielsa would be an interesting appointment by the club, but whoever comes in will need to to backed in the transfer window before it closes.