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Shakhtar Boss Fonseca Emerges as Late Allardyce Rival for Vacant Everton Managerial Post

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Shakhtar Donetsk boss Paulo Fonseca has emerged as a late candidate for the vacant managerial post at Everton.

The Liverpool Echo has revealed that the Portuguese manager is on the Toffees' three-man shortlist, alongside current favourite Sam Allardyce and Republic of Ireland boss Martin O'Neill, to replace the sacked Ronald Koeman.

Everton are believed to be set to make an appointment on Tuesday or Wednesday after six weeks of searching following plenty of criticism over the amount of time taken to find a new permanent gaffer.

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Temporary first-team head coach David Unsworth has worked tirelessly to try and turn the club's ailing fortunes around but after Sunday's thumping by Southampton the Blues find themseles languishing in 16th place in the Premier League table.

Former Crystal Palace and England manager Allardyce is said to have reopened talks with Everton after he had ruled himself out of the running earlier in November.

However, majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri could appoint Fonseca as a left-field choice as rumours circulate on social media that the 44-year-old could beat Allardyce to the role.

Fonseca has been at the helm of Shakhtar since June 2016 and led the Ukrainian side to a league and cup double during his maiden campaign in charge.

He followed that up by lifting the 2017/18 Ukrainian Super Cup earlier this season and has lost just nine of the 73 matches he has taken charge of Kroty.

Despite his relatively young age, Fonseca has already managed six different clubs including five in his homeland.

Fonseca - who wants to work in England in the future - has taken in spells at Liga Primeria heavyweights Porto and Braga during his managerial career, and led the clubs to Portuguese Super Cup and Portuguese Cup triumphs respectively.

One possible drawback to installing Fonseca would be his tendency to depart clubs he manages after just 12 months at the helm - a factor that may alarm Everton fans if a bigger club came calling for him if he did a good job at Goodison Park.

The Maputo-born boss, however, is more like former first choice target Marco Silva than Allardyce and O'Neill, and would arguably go down betber among the Toffees' fanbase than the latter two.