Everton owner Farhad Moshiri could block Derby County boss Wayne Rooney from returning to Goodison Park as the club's manager, a report from The Sun has claimed.

With the Toffees searching for a new manager following the sacking of Rafael Benitez, Rooney has been linked with a possible return to the blue half of Merseyside.

The 36-year-old has certainly caught the eye for the impressive results and performances he has produced with Derby, under difficult circumstances at Pride Park.

However, it seems that not everyone believes that Rooney is the right man to take over in the Everton dugout.

According to this latest update, there is a split among the Everton board over whether or not to make a move to appoint Rooney.

It is thought that while chairman Bill Kenwright is desperate to bring Rooney back to Everton, Moshiri is concerned about the former England international's lack of experience, and is yet to be convinced by his credentials.

As a result, it appears that a decision over whether or not Everton will make a move for Rooney, remains up in the air for the time being.

The Verdict

You can understand why Moshiri may have some concerns about Rooney here.

There can be no doubt that Rooney has done an outstanding job in hugely challenging circumstances, which does mean he deserves much of the attention he is getting now.

However, there is always a risk when you appoint a manager at a level he has never worked at before, and given Everton's rather precarious position in the Premier League table right now, this might not be the right time for them to take a chance here.

That continuing uncertainty is unlikely to be welcomed at Derby however, given it means they do not know whether they need to start looking for a replacement for Rooney, and this could be another unwelcome distraction as they look to pull off the greatest of escapes on the pitch.