Everton next manager odds: Sporting director now second favourite for shock managerial return

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Everton sacked manager Ronald Koeman last month – and the search is on for a replacement.

Ralf Rangnick

Everton confirmed last month that manager Ronald Koeman has been relieved of his duties after a dreadful start to the season.

The Toffees went into the season full of hope and optimism, having splashed the cash over the summer on players such as Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Davy Klaassen, whilst they also brought Wayne Rooney back to the club.

However, with five defeats in the first nine Premier League games, and just one point taken from the first three Europa League outings, Everton endured a disastrous start to the campaign – and Koeman paid with his job.

Caretaker boss David Unsworth has taken charge since his exit and claimed a first win before the international break with a 3-2 victory over Watford, and then claimed a 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.

Ralf Rangnick

Bookmakers such as Sky Bet have been pricing up odds for Everton’s new manager, but there has only been considerable movement on one candidate over the last 24 hours.

RB Leipzig sporting director Ralf Rangnick has bizarrely come in as the second favourite today, coming from nowhere to now sit at 11/4, with only Marco Silva – who remains the odds-on favourite – ahead of him.

Rangnick, 59, currently serves as Leipzig’s sporting director, having stepped aside as their manager in 2016, as he moved into the backroom to help bring in the likes of Dayot Upamecano, Naby Keita, Timo Werner and Kevin Kampl to Leipzig.

Ralf Rangnick (L)

A key part of Leipzig’s rise in recent years, Rangnick has had ties with the Red Bull portfolio – including Salzburg and New York – but one season in charge of Leipzig is the only managerial role he has had since leaving Schalke in 2011.

Formerly of Stuttgart, Hannover, Schalke and Hoffenheim, Rangnick has been highly regarded in Germany for many years now, but many felt that his coaching days were over when he stepped aside at Leipzig last year.

Now second favourite for the Everton job, Rangnick may well be coaxed back into management – but it seems like a bizarre link as the Toffees chase a new manager.