Duncan Ferguson has been installed as the early bookies' favourite to succeed Lee Johnson at Sunderland - but ChronicleLive understands there has been no contact between the club and his representatives.
Everton hero Ferguson was appointed as interim manager at Goodison Park in the wake of Rafa Benitez's sacking earlier this month, but the Toffees are set to bring in Frank Lampard as their new permanent boss.
Lampard is expected to bring his own backroom team to Merseyside and that has led to reports that Ferguson will leave the club where he has been part of the first-team coaching setup since 2014.