Seasons2019-20Rumour Mill
Ancelotti 'agrees deal in principle' to join Everton
That appears to be the consensus following a day of wild speculation, much of it led by Sky Sports News and their sources in Italy, who claimed that Ancelotti travelled to Liverpool today and had agreed a deal in principle to succeed Marco Silva as the Toffees' next permanent manager.
The Athletic's Adam Crafton, backed up by BBC Sport contributor Guillem Balague and the Daily Mail's Dominic King, has maintained, however, that the 60-year-old was still in Rome and preparing for a holiday in Canada but was tempted by the offer of a three-year contract.
Crafton and David Anderson of The Mirror both indicated later that sources close to Ancelotti were confident he would accept the offer to become Silva's replacement following a conversation with Farhad Moshiri by telephone.
Ancelotti, who was infamously sacked by Chelsea in the corridors of Goodison following a Premier League game between the two clubs, was dismissed from his post at Napoli last week, the final act of a falling out between the Serie A club's players and president which Ancelotti found himself in the middle of. He was shown the door there despite guiding his team into the knockout phase of the Champions League.
He, along with Mikel Arteta, has been a rumoured target of both Everton and Arsenal in the days since as both Premier League teams seek to install new managers but the Gunners appear to be in advanced talks with the Spaniard while the Toffees press ahead with negotiations with Ancelotti. It raises the possibility that the two managers could face each other in the respective dugouts at Goodison on Saturday.
Regardless of the progress regarding a permanent successor to Silva, caretaker boss Duncan Ferguson will be in charge for Wednesday's Carabao Cup tie with Leicester City.
The Scot has overseen a handsome win over Chelsea and a hugely creditable draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford, that despite a glut of injuries, particularly in midfield.