Louis Van Gaal Responds to Everton Manager Job Rumours as Blues Search Goes on

Louis Van Gaal has ruled himself out of the running for the vacant Everton job - despite not even being asked if he would consider taking up the role.

The Daily Mail carried quotes from the Dutchman as he revealed that no talks had taken place between his agent and the Toffees' hierarchy.

However, sports journalist Carrie Brown tweeted out that Van Gaal had told her that he wouldn't even consider entering the hotseat at Goodison Park, and was instead holding out for a Premier League return with a top four club.

Van Gaal's dismissal of the Everton managerial job will come as a relief to some Blues fans, with the 66-year-old apparently a divisive character and having failed to put Manchester United back among the elite of English football during his two-year tenure up the M62.

When asked about his candidancy, he merely stated: "I have not yet been asked."

Van Gaal had been installed as a surprise candidate to take over from compatriot Ronald Koeman, who was sacked in late October, after a flurry of bets were put on him being handed the reins on Merseyside.

The ex-AZ Alkmaar and Netherlands head coach has been out of work for 18 months, but had returned to the north west of England twice in the past month to conduct pundit duties for Dutch television.

That, coupled with the betting activity on his name, had put him into the mix for the vacant job at Everton, but the Toffees' search must now continue on as they look for Koeman's long-term successor.

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Interim boss David Unsworth is set to take charge of his sixth successive senior match when Everton take on Atalanta on home turf in Thursday's Europa League game while Farhad Moshiri and Bill Kenwright continue to cast their new far and wide.

The pair's first choice option - Marco Silva - won't be let go by current side Watford despite the offer of £10m to prise him away from Hertfordshire.

Sam Allardyce has also ruled himself out of accepting the job, while another shock target in Diego Simeone has committed his immediate future to Atletico Madrid.