Report: Lampard offered Everton job after latest round of interviews

Frank Lampard was offered the job of Everton manager after he impressed in the club's second round of interviews, according to The Telegraph's Sam Wallace and Matt Law.

The ex-England midfielder is reportedly expected to be in the dugout for the FA Cup fourth-round meeting with Brentford on Feb. 5.

Former FC Porto handler Vitor Pereira and current caretaker boss Duncan Ferguson also had second interviews for the Toffees' managerial vacancy this week. Wayne Rooney, who oversees Derby County in the Championship, said Friday that he turned down an interview with the club he represented in two separate playing stints.

Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez was the initial front-runner to succeed Rafa Benitez at Goodison Park. However, the Royal Belgian Football Association blocked Martinez from leaving his role or splitting duties between the Toffees and the national team.

Lampard, 43, has been out of work since being dismissed as Chelsea boss in January 2021. He started his managerial career with Derby - where he lost the Championship playoff final to Aston Villa in his first and only season at the helm - before taking the manager's job at his old stomping ground, Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea's all-time top scorer led the Blues to fourth in the Premier League and the FA Cup final in his first term in charge despite the club's transfer ban preventing any moves during the summer he took the job. Chelsea dismissed Lampard midway through the next campaign when the team was ninth in England's top flight following a summer spending spree that exceeded £200 million.

Everton are 16th in the Premier League, only four points above the relegation zone, and have won just one top-flight match since the end of September.