'I was very, very close to signing for Everton' - Saudi Pro League manager wants a PL job

Al-Shabab manager Vitor Pereira wants a Premier League job after coming “very, very close” to taking over at Everton two years ago.

The Portuguese told GiveMeSport on 5 September the near miss in 2022 before Frank Lampard got the job was one of three times he has nearly arrived in the English top flight, but expects to make it to the league eventually.

Pereira was Farhad Moshiri’s preferred option to replace Rafa Benitez three seasons ago but fan protests put a stop to the appointment despite multiple meetings over the job, with former Chelsea boss Lampard eventually taking over.

He said: “I was very, very close to signing for Everton. I was ready to start working there. I travelled over and stayed for one week. I had four meetings with the club, but in the end it was not to be.

“My career so far has been a big journey, and I am in love with beautiful football. I really believe my next move will be to a top league in the world: the Premier League, LaLiga, or Serie A – one of these places. This is my target for the future and I think it’s just a question of time.

“I was so close to being a Premier League manager on three different occasions. Small things stopped it from happening each time, but in the future I believe I will be there.”

Frank Lampard beat Vitor Pereira to Everton job

It may be no coincidence that with current Toffees boss Sean Dyche under significant pressure after a nightmare start to the campaign Pereira has come out of the woodwork.

Dyche has been tipped to be the first Premier League managerial casualty over the international break [ESPN, 2 September], and discussions over his future have now been held at the club [TBR Football, 5 September], so Pereira may be touting his interest.

Viable replacements for the embattled Everton manager are thin on the ground given the difficulties of the job as things stand, with David Moyes potentially the only Premier League manager willing to take it on emotional grounds [Richard Keys, 26 August].

Moshiri was ready to choose Pereira once before so likely would be again, but if fans rejected him already it is hard to see what would have changed since.

The 56-year-old is already on his third job since missing out on the Goodison Park hot seat, having spent short spells at Corinthians and Flemengo before ending up in Saudi Arabia.

He was also considered for Everton over a decade ago and held talks with the late Bill Kenwright in 2013 over replacing Roberto Martinez [Liverpool Echo], so he might feel it could be third time lucky with the Toffees.

Whether the finances are there to make a move this time is certainly up for debate, and for all Dyche’s faults he has at least proven he can avoid a catastrophic relegation twice already.

A switch to a manager who hasn’t got any Premier League experience yet and has had nine jobs in the past decade would undoubtedly be a risk, so while fans wanting a change probably don’t mean this one, although they might with Graham Potter.

In other Everton news, a player left the club when close to agreeing a new contract at Goodison Park.

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