By North-west correspondent Alex Stevens
Premier League quartet Ronald Koeman, Manuel Pellegrini, Mark Hughes and Eddie Howe are among the five leading contenders to be the next Everton manager, according to a report.
Roberto Martinez is on the brink of the sack following a season that has failed to live up to expectations at Goodison Park.
According to the Telegraph, five names are under consideration by Everton majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri and chairman Bill Kenwright.
They include the current managers of Southampton, Manchester City, Stoke and Bournemouth, while the credentials of Ajax manager Frank de Boer will also be considered.
Martinez could be dismissed next week if a board meeting scheduled for Friday and Saturday’s Premier League game against Bournemouth go badly for Martinez.
It is said the decision has been taken at the top of the club to axe Martinez, barring a major U-turn.
The Telegraph claim majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri and chairman Bill Kenwright are expected to be present at the meeting.
Supporters have held banners calling for Martinez to go at recent games and backed Leighton Baines after the left-back was forced to apologise to his manager for saying the Everton side lacked ‘chemistry’. More protests are planned for Saturday.
Everton are 11th place in the Premier League table after taking just three points from the last 21 available and were defeated by Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley last Saturday.
The Toffees already face a major battle to hang on to star trio Romelu Lukaku, John Stones and Ross Barkley this summer and keeping Martinez on would make that task even more difficult.
Martinez succeeded David Moyes as Everton manager in 2013 after winning the FA Cup in the same year he could not prevent Wigan from being relegated.
Pellegrini has the most impressive CV of the managers linked by the Telegraph to the post.
H will end his three-year spell at City at the end of the season, when he will be replaced at the helm by Pep Guardiola.
The Chilean has already won the Capital One Cup in his final campaign and has steered the club to the Champions League semi-finals, where they face 10-times winners Real Madrid in the second leg next week with the tie locked at 0-0.
His pedigree and experience is said to be of interest to billionaire Moshiri, who became the majority stakeholder in Everton last month.
Nevertheless, it would be a surprise if former Real Madrid, Malaga and Villarreal manager Pellegrini, 62, was to make the move from a Champions League calibre club to Goodison Park.
In other Everton news, a shock contender has emerged to replace Martinez at the helm.
