Bill Kenwright was reportedly keen to bring Mikel Arteta back to Everton.
According to The Mirror, Everton chairman Bill Kenwright was interested in making Manchester City coach Mikel Arteta the club’s new manager after Ronald Koeman’s exit.
The Toffees sacked Koeman back in October after a dismal start to the season, though it surprisingly took Everton more than a month to find the Dutchman’s replacement.
Sam Allardyce has come into the job, and remains unbeaten after taking three wins and two draws from his first five games in charge, steadying the ship at Goodison Park.
Whilst Everton have turned to an experienced Premier League boss in Allardyce, reports now suggest that a rookie was heavily considered for the job in Mikel Arteta.
The Mirror report that Everton chairman Bill Kenwright put Arteta’s name forward for the job, with the idea of handing the Manchester City coach a return to Merseyside.
Arteta, 35, is currently working under Pep Guardiola at City, kickstarting his coaching career having retired from playing in 2016, finishing up his career with Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta celebrates scoring for Everton
However, the Spaniard may be best remembered for his spell with Everton, racking up 34 goals and 35 assists in 209 appearances for the Toffees in all competitions.
Arteta’s grounding under Guardiola means he is bound to be in demand in the future, and whilst now wasn’t the right time for him to make the move, Kenwright may well push for Arteta to eventually become Allardyce’s successor.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
