Femi Solaja with agency report
This may not be the best of times for Super Eagles’ in-form midfield star, Alex Iwobi following the sacking of Coach Frank Lampard by the Management of Everton yesterday.
The Nigerian star player has been in great form for the Toffees side and enjoyed more playing time under Lampard’s reign but the team has been struggling to stay above the water in the on-going season.
And after a spell of bad results, the former Chelsea and Derby boss was told his 357 day spell in charge had come to an end during a phone call with Farhad Moshiri, Everton’s major shareholder.
It was the inevitable conclusion following weeks in which he has been on the brink and UK’s Sportsmailunderstands Marcelo Bielsa is Everton’s No. 1 choice to take over.
Lampard had Sunday in discussions with Moshiri, Chairman Bill Kenwright and Kevin Thelwell, Everton’s Director of Football, after a 2-0 defeat at West Ham – Everton’s 11th loss in their last 14 games in all competitions.
Everton, who are in desperate need of new players, are close to finalising a deal to sign Arnaut Danjuma on loan until the end of the campaign but that business has been concluded while Lampard awaited to learn his fate.
The 44-year-old had 18 months left on the contract he signed on January 31 last year.
It has not yet been confirmed but it is expected his backroom staff of Joe Edwards, Chris Jones, Paul Clement and Ashley Cole will also leave with Lampard.
He had seen Everton miss out on a number of transfer targets that he was keen on – most notably Danny Ings, who left Aston Villa to join West Ham – and was on the back foot from the start of the season after Richarlison was sold to Tottenham.
Since the World Cup, the Toffees have picked up just one point from five league games – a draw against Manchester City – while they have also crashed out of the FA Cup to Manchester United
The 44-year-old arrived at the club at the end of January 2021 having been out of work for more than a year following his departure from Chelsea.
