Everton could face a late battle with Udinese for Marco Silva.
According to Gazzetta Dello Sport in Italy, Udinese could launch a late move to try and lure Marco Silva to Serie A despite a move to Everton seeming close.
The Toffees sacked manager Sam Allardyce earlier this month, and it was no great surprise when Silva – the man initially wanted to replace Ronald Koeman back in November – became the hot favourite.
Reports from the Liverpool Echo claim that Everton still very much intend to appoint Silva as Allardyce’s successor, with majority shareholder Marco Silva thought to be a big fan, but a wrangle with Watford is holding up the move.
Watford rebuffed Everton’s bids for Silva last year, but then sacked the Portuguese boss just months later, and reported the Toffees for an illegal approach, with the Hornets now seeking compensation should Everton finally appoint Silva.
In what is becoming a complicated saga, there is now another twist, as Gazzetta Dello Sport in Italy report that Silva is one of three managers being targeted by Italian side Udinese.
Udinese allegedly plan to replace Croatian boss Igor Tudor despite only appointing him last month, and Silva – along with ex-Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores and current incumbent at Vicarage Road, Javi Gracia – are on the shortlist.
A move to a bottom half team in Serie A would be bizarre for Silva, even with his Watford sacking on his CV, and it seems strange enough that ulterior motives could be at play.
Udinese are owned by Watford owner Giampaolo Pozzo, and seeing Silva work with Pozzo again would be quite the shock given the wrangle over his exit, and the reports smack of Watford using their links to Udinese to try and unsettle Everton’s pursuit of Silva, when a move to Udinese would be bewildering.
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