Everton news: David Unsworth leads race for manager job

EVERTON caretaker boss David Unsworth is now the leading candidate to secure the manager’s job permanently.

David Unsworth admits he would like to manage Everton

Everton caretaker boss David Unsworth is now the leading candidate to secure the manager’s job permanently.

Unsworth, 44, was promoted from his role as Under-23 and academy manager to take charge on a temporary basis after Ronald Koeman was sacked on Monday.

He has since held positive talks with Toffees owner Farhad Moshiri over the position in the past few days.

And the Daily Express now understands Everton are not currently courting anyone else for the Goodison Park hot seat.

Unsworth has impressed the Everton hierarchy with the reaction he gained from the players on the training ground.

And should Everton’s results and performances match that then the ex-Everton defender will be confirmed as Koeman’s successor.

Unsworth, meanwhile, also claims price tags will not mean anything to him when he picks his team.

The Toffees heavily invested in their squad during the summer as Koeman splashed out £140m on new recruits.

However, striker Wayne Rooney was the only outfield player signed by the Dutchman that Unsworth picked for the first game of his temporary stint – a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea in the Carabao Cup.

David UGETTY

David Unsworth has emerged as the leading contender for the Everton hotseat

Unsworth insists there was nothing sinister behind his decision to not select the likes of £45m playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson or £23.6m midfielder Davy Klassen.

But when asked if Everton’s big money buys will not get any preferential treatment Unsworth made his stance clear.

“Not at all. It is just a number,” he said ahead of Sunday’s clash with Leicester. “The players don’t determine that either. I will always pick what I believe is the strongest team to win a game of football.

“We came together and I picked a team which I thought would perform and win a game of football.

“It doesn’t matter if they are new signings, or if they have come through the ranks.”

Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye is poised to sign a new five-year contract with club as a reward for his impressive performances since a £7.2m switch from Aston Villa in August 2016.

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