Everton assistant coach Leighton Baines is being linked with the vacant manager's position at Preston North End. A move to the Championship club would represent the former defender's first permanent senior managerial job.
Baines returned to Everton's first-team coaching setup in January 2025 when David Moyes was appointed manager. He had previously worked within the club's academy and, alongside Seamus Coleman, briefly took charge of the senior side following Sean Dyche's departure. Baines was in the dugout for the 2-0 FA Cup win over Peterborough United that same month.
Leighton Baines addressed the speculation directly. "I'm just one of the names being linked with the Preston vacancy," he said.
Other names connected with the role include Robbie Keane, Tom Cleverley, Lee Grant and Graham Alexander. The vacancy presents a potential full-circle moment, as Moyes himself began his managerial career at Preston, taking them from the third tier to the Championship before moving to Everton in 2002.
Baines has remained a key part of the backroom staff during Everton's strong start to the new Premier League season. The team is currently seventh in the table with nine points from five games, having not lost a match. Their recent form reads two wins and three draws, with the latest result a 1-0 victory over Ipswich Town.
The next challenge for Everton is an away trip to face Hull City on October 11.
This story first appeared at Read Everton
