Carlo Ancelotti is stalling on Everton’s offer to bring him back to the Premier League as he seeks reassurances about the club’s future plans.
Farhad Moshiri, Everton’s major shareholder, is driving the pursuit of the Italian and has held talks with Ancelotti in London. The length of the contract Moshiri is prepared to offer is unclear but it is understood the finance would be huge — in excess of £8million a year. There have been conflicting reports in the last 48 hours about how close Ancelotti is to becoming Marco Silva’s successor but he has sought guidance on what plans Everton have for the summer transfer window, as they will not spend heavily in January.
Ancelotti is also aware Everton’s squad will need trimming following an expensive recruitment policy that has failed to pay dividends in the past four years. He wants to know what control he will have, with director of football Marcel Brands currently in charge of transfers. Everton have spoken to a number of candidates since Silva was sacked two weeks ago.
David Moyes, the former manager, has had face-to-face talks with Moshiri.
Everton discussed their former player Mikel Arteta and have also considered Ralf Rangnick, while Vitor Pereira chose to stay at Shanghai SIPG.
Everton will now channel their energy into the Carabao Cup tie with Leicester tonight and interim manager Duncan Ferguson is demanding a bear- pit atmosphere at Goodison Park.
Ferguson said: ‘We’ve not been to many semi-finals in this competition before and we’ve never won this cup. So we’re not looking too far ahead, but we’re desperate to get through.’
Brendan Rodgers, meanwhile, is determined to continue his proud cup record by leading Leicester into the last four.
Remarkably, Rodgers is hoping to extend a 28-game unbeaten run in domestic cups.
Rodgers last tasted knockout defeat when Liverpool were edged out of the FA Cup at the semi-final stage by Aston Villa in April 2015.
Most of his undefeated games came at Celtic.
Leicester were out of both cups by the time he was appointed last season but Rodgers has overseen progress through three rounds in the Carabao Cup this term to set up tonight’s trip to Goodison Park.
Rodgers said: ‘When I first went to Liverpool, the big challenge was to get the club back into the Champions League.
‘Within the first two seasons we did that. After two seasons I realised that we haven’t done so well in the cup competitions so the focus went on to that.
‘We lost in the Capital One Cup semi-final and the FA Cup semi-final [both in 2015]. Then we went up to Celtic and did great. I’ve never seen any competition as just giving players a chance to play.
‘We’re there to win and that will be the same idea going to Everton this time.’
Leicester’s last trophy was the 2016 title win and silverware looks a realistic target again under Rodgers. He said: ‘We want to challenge, there’s so many steps for us to make.
‘Everyone can’t win the trophy but we have to fight and show that we’re ready to do that.
‘The consistency of this team in the league has been absolutely first-class since we’ve come in and that’s all about mentality. We take that same mentality into the Everton game and look to see if we can get a result.’