Forget Rui Vitoria, why isn’t Porto’s Sergio Conceicao top of Everton’s wishlist?

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Everton are considering Benfica manager Rui Vitoria – rather than the man aiming to end his domestic dominance in Portugal.

At the age of just 43, Sergio Conceicao could claim to be one of the most highly-rated young coaches in the world game.

A former winger who had a nomadic playing career with the likes of Inter Milan, Porto and Lazio, the Portuguese already looks set for an even more distinguished career in the dugout.

Taking over a Nantes side in crisis in December 2016, Conceicao dragged the Ligue 1 strugglers from second bottom to seventh place via double training sessions, a strict approach to man management and no lack of tactical acumen. Not to mention a thrilling, aggressive brand of football.

A fiery and combative figure, Conceicao, who snubbed the chance to replace Claudio Ranieri at Leicester City in February (Goal), has only enhanced his glowing reputation further since returning to former club Porto in the summer to replace Nuno Espirito Santo.

Porto underachieved last season, finishing six points behind Benfica. But they have won 10 and drawn two of their 12 league games in 2017/18 and look in a superb position to win their first league title in five years.

Wrong man?

So why, then, are Everton instead targeting a manager who is choking on Conceicao’s dust? The Mirror claimed that Benfica coach Rui Vitoria is on The Toffees’ shortlist to replace Ronald Koeman and the 47-year-old would be open to taking over at Goodison Park.

And while Vitoria had lifted five trophies in his two previous seasons at the Estadio Da Luz, including a first domestic treble since 1981, he has been shown up by his Portuguese counterpart so far in 2017/18.

Benfica may be just three points off the top but they have been comfortably outshone by Porto. And the fact that they are bottom of their Champions League group with no points from five games should also not pass Everton by.

If The Toffees are to scour Iberia for their next manager, they should surely look at the league leader first rather than the coach whose magic appears to be wearing off.