Exclusive: Dan Friedken sets out Jose Mourinho plan for Everton amid David Moyes return talks

Prospective new Everton owner Dan Friedkin is keen to bring Jose Mourinho back to the Premier League with David Moyes in line for a return to Goodison Park on an interim basis should Sean Dyche be removed from post.

• Exclusive from Graeme Bailey

Following the collapse of negotiations with the 777 Partners, American businessman Dan Friedkin has emerged as the likely candidate to take control on the blue side of Stanley Park.

Documents have been filed at Companies House with Friedkin’s takeover of Premier League strugglers Everton now viewed as a formality.

And, as is often the case when a club changes hands, there could soon be a new face in the dugout too.

TBR have been told that Friedkin, currently the president at Italian giants AS Roma, could look to reunite with Jose Mourinho in what would be an extremely high-profile and ambitious appointment.

Everton’s top brass are looking at bringing in a big-name manager once the change of ownership is confirmed at some point in 2025.

Friedkin is already using intermediaries to work on landing Sean Dyche’s potential successor, and Mourinho is in line to work again with a man he knows from his time in the Italian capital.

Everton identify Jose Mourinho as potential Sean Dyche replacement

Mourinho spent three years in the Roma dugout before his departure earlier this year.

And while the 61-year-old Portuguese is currently under contract at Turkish outfit Fenerbahce, the former Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur boss may be tempted by one more crack at England’s top flight.

“[Mourinho is] a very good person and a great coach,” Friedkin told reporters during their time together at the Stadio Olimpico. “I’m happy to have him at Roma.”

Freidkin and his staff feel that Mourinho is the calibre of manager they would be interested in.

There would be obvious similarities with the Carlo Ancelotti era at Goodison Park; a coach who has spent much of his career fighting for the biggest trophies dropping down to help an underachieving club climb the table.

And while Mourinho is perhaps no longer the same tactical force of old, his potential arrival would represent a massive statement of intent from a club who have underachieved badly since David Moyes’ heyday.

David Moyes could return to Goodison Park as Everton interim

Speaking of Moyes, TBR understands that the legendary former Toffees boss would be targeted if Dyche loses his job before the end of the current campaign.

Moyes is currently out of work, having left West Ham United in the summer.

The Scot led Everton into the Champions League qualifying round and an FA Cup final during a highly successful decade-long spell on Merseyside.

Moyes may also be seen as a proverbial ‘safe pair of hands’ for an Everton side who will need to stay in the Premier League if they are to have any chance of achieving the ambitious set out by Friedkin.

TBR have been told that Moyes is someone Everton’s current hierarchy have already opened talks with as doubts swirl about whether Dyche is the right man to guide The Toffees to safety.

Everton are unbeaten in their last three games, moving out of the relegation as a result. They have still won only one from seven top-flight matches in 2024/25, however.

Sources close to the situation told TBR back in September that former Burnley boss Dyche was in danger of losing his job at Everton the start of the hectic festive fixture schedule.