Everton owner Farhad Moshiri held talks with Marcelo Bielsa about taking over as the club's new manager, but the Argentine is believed to have turned down the opportunity.

The Lowdown: Lampard sacked by Everton

After a run of seven losses in his last eight competitive games, Frank Lampard was dismissed as manager on Monday, with Paul Tait and Leighton Baines being placed in temporary charge of training until a permanent successor is found.

The Toffees are 19th in the Premier League table with more than half of the season now gone, so it is absolutely critical that Moshiri gets his next appointment right, and he is reported to have held talks with Bielsa about the vacant role.

The Latest: Bielsa snub Everton approach

It was claimed that the 67-year-old is the first choice of all the available candidates, as Everton officials believed that the Argentine's attack-minded football philosophy could have helped galvanise the team in the second half of the season.

However, Football Insider reported on Tuesday morning that he has now turned down Everton's advances, in what is a significant blow to their pursuit of a new manager.

The Verdict: Blow for Everton

It would've been ideal for Everton to appoint a manager with an attacking focus, given that their record in front of goal this season has been very poor, scoring the joint-second fewest goals of any team in the top flight.

Also, the former Leeds United manager has previously enjoyed success in English football, taking the Whites up from the Championship in 2020 and keeping them in the top flight with an impressive ninth-placed finish in their first season back at the highest level.

Bielsa has been spoken about in glowing terms by many people in the game, with Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone stating that his compatriot taught him "the most" of any manager, while Fernando Llorente has labelled his former Athletic Bilbao boss a "genius".

It is of the utmost importance that the Everton hierarchy make the right decision with their next managerial appointment, and they could now turn their attentions to other proven Premier League coaches, including the likes of Sean Dyche and Nuno Espirito Santo.