Sean Dyche has the full backing of the Everton hierarchy despite the club’s pointless start to the Premier League season – and that support is almost certain to endure whatever happens in a pivotal week for the Toffees.
Everton have thrown away successive two goal leads in their last two league games against Bournemouth and Aston Villa, raising alarm among supporters and questions about whether Dyche’s methods will extricate the club from a relegation fight for a third successive season.
But i understands there remains faith in Dyche among all the key decision-makers at the club and – crucially – majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, who is in the process of trying to sell his 94.1 per cent stake in the club.
Everton face a crucial trip to Leicester City, who have picked up just two points this season, on Saturday, hoping to belatedly kick-start their campaign and avoid a fifth successive defeat in the league in the process.
But whatever happens in the East Midlands, it is understood that there is confidence that form will turn under Dyche, who has spent almost his entire 21 months in charge fighting fires.
This summer was no different, with Everton selling Amadou Onana to Aston Villa for £50m while “boxing clever” in the transfer market to recruit within a strict budget.
There is a recognition that some of those players will need time to adapt to Dyche’s system while injuries have also undermined the defensive solidity that their survival has been built on.
And while the team have been uncharacteristically generous to the opposition this season, there is also a belief that the return of Jarrad Branthwaite – who has not been fit to play any part in the campaign so far – will make a sizeable difference.
Everton resisted Manchester United’s overtures to keep the England international at Goodison Park, which was viewed internally as a big positive from the transfer window.
If Dyche’s future appears certain, then the club’s ownership situation remains less so, with reports at the start of this week claiming the Friedkin Group are considering re-entering the race to buy the club.
Dan Friedkin, the billionaire owner of AS Roma, agreed a price for Everton in the summer before backing away over complications surrounding the club’s debt to 777 Partners, whose own buy-out collapsed earlier in the year.
And while i understands the Friedkin Group are in “constant communication” with Everton, those close to the group are playing down talk that there has been a change in their stance on buying the Toffees.
The Friedkin Group’s most recent dialogue with Everton has been around the £200m they lent to the club over the summer after entering an exclusivity process. That lump sum would have to be paid off in full upon a change in ownership.
One source told i John Textor remains “in the box seat” and that he is looking to expedite the sale of his 45 per cent stake in Crystal Palace with a view to stepping up his takeover bid for Everton.
But despite claims at the start of the process that Textor has exclusivity to complete the takeover, i understands that is not the case.
That would allow the Friedkin Group back to the negotiating table at any stage if they wanted to resurrect the £400m deal that they agreed with Moshiri in June.
Friedkin insiders say they are not at this point, although it is an indication of how confusing the picture is that some of those on the selling side believe there is still significant interest from the Texan billionaire and his family in owning Everton.
“The situation has a lot of moving parts and is very complex,” a source told i.
“There may be some brinkmanship going on at the moment,” another said.
Against this backdrop, the certainty of wins and moving up the Premier League table make a very welcome change for Everton.