The Sunday Times is reporting that Everton have opened conversations with Jose Mourinho regarding the manager's role at Goodison Park. It has been widely rumoured that the Blues, bolstered by new majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, are making some high powered approaches as they look to fill the vacancy left after Roberto Martinez was relieved of his responsibilities this week.

Mourinho features at the top of a shortlist of candidates the Toffees have compiled to replace Roberto Martinez, with Southampton boss Ronald Koeman also targeted.

Unconfirmed rumours this week in the Everton social media had it that the Portuguese manager's representatives had reached out to the Merseyside club first. However, Duncan Castles and Jonathan Northcoft in The Times are now reporting that the Blues have made contact.

They also went on to say Mourinho was unlikely to accept the position at Goodison, especially while there was still a chance that there could be an opening at Manchester United.

'The Special One' has been out of work since November after his second spell in charge of Chelsea ended ignominiously in November.

Club legend and former Everton goalkeeper Neville Southall would love the Toffees to get the manager.

"Ideally what we need is a mix of David Moyes' defensive solidity and Martinez's attacking flair.

"So a Mourinho team would fit the bill perfectly. He is a proven winner and even if he was in for just three years he'd have won a trophy by then.

"He has the arrogance and swagger to lift Everton out of the mire. His teams are built from the back, but score plenty of goals and don't give points away easily."

We had analyzed his suitability in our Prospective Manager series. What do you think, tell us in the comments below.