JOSE MOURINHO has emerged as the shock bookies’ favourite to replace Sean Dyche as Everton boss.

The Special One is rated odds-on to move to Merseyside with new owners The Friedkin Group believed to be ready to dump Dyche by as early as next week.

Dyche admitted in the build–up to tonight’s FA Cup third-round clash with Peterborough United that TFG would not be doing their jobs if they were not considering the possibility of replacing him.

The Americans ARE doing so and ex–boss David Moyes is also in the frame to return to the club and take it into their new Bramley – Moore Dock home next summer.

The appointment of Mourinho could be seen as a spectacular coup – despite TFG billionaire owner Dan Friedin, also owner of Roma, sacking him a year ago.

The Portuguese was also twice axed by Chelsea as well as Manchester United, Real Madrid and Inter Milan but he described his dismissal by Friedkin as the "one that most hurt".

He took over Fenerbache last summer but is at war with Turkish authorities over the way Turkey’s Super Lig is being run.

Despite being so upset by the way Friedkin got rid of him the 61-year-old would love a chance for another tilt at the Premier League.

Dyche, almost two years in charge, is understood to have come to terms with the fact that his time at the club is coming to an end with fans turning on his style of football.

Everton takes on Posh in what he calls "a banana skin" encounter having won only three Prem games in 19 with the Toffees lying one point above the drop zone.

Dyche declared of talk that TFG are sizing up replacements for him: "It should be.

"If you’re a business of this size and this club, then succession planning should be part of their diligence. I’ve got no problem with that at all.

"I think that should be ongoing at every football club.

"That’s part of the business, surely. I’m sure it is in what we’d call normal business life."

What is almost certain is that the former Burnley manager is on the way out.

And defeat to Darren Ferguson’s League One club would only hasten his exit.