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Everton chief Marcel Brands backing one outsider to replace Marco Silva if sacked
Everton are set to meet to discuss the future of Marco Silva later today.
Everton: Marco Silva refuses to comment on his future
Everton director of football Marcel Brands has his eye on Erik ten Hag if the board decide to sack Marco Silva later today, reports have claimed. The Portuguese is expected to lose his job following last night’s 5-2 defeat at Liverpool.
A number of candidates have emerged as the pressure on Silva reaches boiling point with the club currently in the relegation zone.
According to Goal Mikel Arteta, Leonardo Jardim, Eddie Howe and Ten Hag are all amongst those being considered.
However it’s the Dutchman that would receive backing from Brands who has always been keen on luring him to Goodison Park.
Brands knows the Ajax boss well from his time at fierce rivals PSV Eindhoven.
Before the two teams met in a crunch match in the 2018 Eredivisie title race, ten Hag had claimed that PSV were scared of his side.
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But Eindhoven went on to win 3-0 and ten Hag later defended his initial comments, saying he had nothing to lose.
He said in an interview with Voetbal International: “I got the question after Heracles-home, whether PSV would be afraid of Ajax in view of the position. I answered that.
“We only had something to gain, seven points behind, PSV had everything to lose.
“I myself later received confirmation [they were afraid] when I heard Marcel Brands say that he had never been so nervous about the duel with us.”
The incident clearly struck a chord with Brands, who has held the boss in high regard ever since.
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Ten Hag was linked with the Everton job earlier in the season, before Silva steadied the ship.
He led Ajax to the Champions League semi-finals earlier this year, where they eventually suffered last-gasp heartbreak to Tottenham.
"I do not rule out anything,” Ten Hag told Kicker in October.
"But I'm almost 50 and not a dreamer. If (a departure) comes - or does not come - I'm totally happy and happy with Ajax, even though I know that I will not be a coach here for 10 years.”
Speaking after last night’s defeat at Liverpool, Silva claimed he is the wrong man to speak about his future.
“I am not the right person to answer about the situation, this question is for different people," he said.
“Every game I get the same question. My words here will change nothing.
“I understand why there are these type of questions (about the sack), but I don’t like to talk every match about my future.
“We knew what they would try to do, we knew everything, we cannot concede goals in that way at the level we are.”