Everton have made Thomas Tuchel their No.1 target after axing boss Ronald Koeman.

Koeman was summoned to the Blues' Finch Farm training ground on Monday to be fired in person by chairman Bill Kenwright and main shareholder Farhad Moshiri.

The search for a new manager began immediately, with highly-regarded German Tuchel - who is available after leaving Borussia Dortmund following a fall-out with club bosses last summer - top of the list of potential candidates.

Contact has already been made with the 44-year-old’s representatives, but Tuchel will not rush into a decision — especially with Bayern Munich still a potential destination at the end of this season.

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Everton Under-23s coach David Unsworth has been asked to take temporary charge for the Carabao Cup visit to Chelsea on Wednesday night, along with his assistant John Ebbrell, another long-serving Everton favourite.

Unsworth could remain at the helm at least until the international break in two weeks' time.

By then, the board hope to have ticked off a short-list of candidates, with Tuchel at the top if he shows any interest in coming to Goodison.

He lifted the German Cup with Dortmund last season and took them to the Champions League quarter-finals.

Tuchel is out of work after winning last season's German Cup — but may be waiting on the Bayern job (
Image:
Reuters)

But he left after a disagreement with chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke over a hasty decision to immediately replay a Champions League tie against Monaco, when a roadside bomb damaged the bus taking the team to the home leg and injured one of his players.

Unsworth, who also stood in when Roberto Martinez was sacked by in May 2016, has presided over a hugely successful development team at the club with young stars such as Tom Davies, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Jonjoe Kenny emerging.

Ex-Blues defender Unsworth could be left in charge until January — or even next summer (
Image:
Getty)

The former England defender spent 11 years at Goodison as a player, and returned in 2013 to take up a coaching role among the backroom staff.

It is understood he would be keen for a longer-term opportunity in charge of the Blues, with the prospect of extending any temporary position until the New Year or even the end of the season, to give him the chance to prove himself.

Tuchel is in the running for the manager’s job at Bayern, which will be available in the summer following the recent sacking of Carlo Ancelotti, who was replaced by 72-year-old caretaker manager Jupp Heynckes until the end of the season.

Koeman is out after winning just two of nine Prem games despite a big-spending summer (
Image:
REX/Shutterstock)

Ancelotti himself is admired strongly by Everton major shareholder Moshiri.

But the Italian has indicated he will take a break from football and not return until next season, and it will take something seismic to change his mind.

Ironically, Ancelotti was brutally sacked by Chelsea in a side-office at Goodison in May 2011.

Everton will also look at other potential targets including Burnley boss Sean Dyche and Marco Silva, the Portuguese who has made such an impact at Watford.

Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim is also admired, though a difficult target.

The Blues recognise how tough it is to prise away a boss from a Premier League rival at this stage of the season, and unless they can persuade the available Tuchel to join, could consider giving Unsworth a longer tenure at the helm.

Ryan Giggs publicly threw his hat into the ring on Monday afternoon.

Manchester United legend Giggs has been waiting for the right management chance (
Image:
Action Images)

The Welshman, who had a stint as Louis van Gaal’s No.2 at Manchester United, said he would also be interested in the vacant role at Leicester.

He said: “You look at those two teams — Leicester being champions two seasons ago, Everton being a fantastic club with a fantastic history. For me, these are clubs I would be interested in.”

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