Report: Bielsa meeting with Everton

Marcelo Bielsa's next project could be keeping Everton in the Premier League.

BBC Sport's Phil McNulty reports the former Leeds and Marseille boss is Toffees owner Farhad Moshiri's top choice to replace Frank Lampard and is set for further meetings with the club in England.

Lampard departed Everton earlier this week less than a year after taking the job.

McNulty notes that former Burnley boss Sean Dyche is also considered a finalist for the position.

While Bielsa travelling to England indicates interest in the job, McNulty cautions that Bielsa has reservations about the makeup of the Toffees' squad, their ability to play his trademark brand of high-tempo football and even taking a job in the middle of the season.

Bielsa has not taken another job since he was fired last February by Leeds. In his three-plus seasons at Elland Road, Bielsa was able to lead the team back to the Premier League after a nearly 20-year absence.

A native of Rosario, Argentina, Bielsa has also managed at Lille, Lazio, Bilbao, Espanyol and America.

Internationally, Bielsa has been at the helm of both Chile (2007 to 2011) and his native Argentina (1998 to 2004) with whom he won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

Everton sits on 19th in the table on 15 points, two back of Wolves in the final safe space. They return to action on Feb. 4 at home to leaders Arsenal.

McNulty reports the team hopes to have a new manager in place by this weekend.