Jose Mourinho has been named as the bookmakers’ favorite to take over at Everton if they decide to sack Sean Dyche, but there are several reasons why the prospect of the Portuguese moving to Merseyside appears doomed .
Dyche is under pressure after a dismal run of form which saw the Toffees slip to 16th in the Premier League, one point off the relegation places.
Everton have won just one of their last 10 league matches – a resounding 4-0 win over Wolves on December 4. But in their other nine matches during the period, they drew five and lost four, scoring just one goal in the process.
New owners, the Friedkin Group, are unlikely to view this streak favorably, especially as the survival of the Premier League is more important than ever this season, with the club set to move into their new stadium Bramley Dock in 2025-2026.
What do the bookmakers say?
Mourinho is the 4/5 favorite with BetVictor while Unibet, LiveScoreBet and BetMGM all have him at 3/4.
BetMGM UK director Sam Behar said: “Is the Premier League ready for more Jose Mourinho? Well, our bets suggest that ‘The Special One’ could be set for another spell in England with Everton.
“He is 3/4 to replace the under-pressure Sean Dyche at Goodison Park ahead of former Toffees boss David Moyes.
“There are a whole host of other names but it is Mourinho who is the clear favorite for what would be a real coup for the Merseyside club.”
BetMGM has Moyes at 4/1, David Wagner at 9/1 and Steve Cooper and Russell Martin priced at 14s.
Could this happen?
The last @EmiratesFACup third round tie at Goodison Park. COYB!⏳ pic.twitter.com/d0kUSdHtMn
-Everton (@Everton) January 9, 2025
Well, first and foremost, Dyche is still in place, although turmoil is growing because of a remarkably patient fan base despite several years of uninspiring football.
Everton face Peterborough United in the FA Cup third round this evening, assuming the game gets the green light. Defeat is unlikely, but the next two Premier League matches, at home to Aston Villa and Tottenham, could decide Dyche’s fate.
Mourinho took over as manager of Turkish club Fenerbahce in June and has done a solid job. Fener sit second in the Super Lig but are unlikely to win the title due to the excellence of rivals Galatasaray, who are eight points clear at the top.
Stumbling blocks
It is not certain that Mourinho would want to swap Istanbul for Merseyside. Fenerbahce is a club with a massive fan base and almost certainly guarantees European football every season.
Barring an improbable FA Cup run that culminates in success at Wembley, Everton won’t be playing continental football anytime soon.
Indeed, more years of toil and struggle seem more likely and Mourinho has already spoken of his lack of appetite for a relegation battle.
He told Sky Sports in October: “Honestly it has to be the hardest thing, way harder than playing for titles. It’s very, very hard emotionally because it’s something that changes lives. You know, you stay in the Premier League or you get relegated, it changes lives, it changes a lot of things. Brave guys doing it.
Mourinho also has a history with the Friedkin Group.
As owners of Roma, they sacked the two-time Champions League winner after feeling he was not getting value for money from an expensively built team.
At the time of his dismissal last January, the Giallorossi were ninth in Serie A and struggling to reach the Champions League places.
Mourinho later claimed he had been “eliminated by someone who doesn’t understand football”, referring to Dan Friedkin.
It seems unlikely that he will take this route again.
