David Moyes could seal his Everton return this weekend as the club’s new owners work to replace the sacked Sean Dyche.

According to reports, Moyes has agreed a deal with the Friedkin Group to replace Dyche, who was dismissed hours before Thursday’s FA Cup win over Peterborough.

Moyes spent 11 years at Goodison Park before leaving to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United in 2013, and has been out of work since departing West Ham in the summer.

Moyes is reported to have agreed a two-and-a-half-year contract to return to a club hovering a single point off the Premier League drop zone after the defeat at Bournemouth that did for Dyche.

Everton are next in action against Aston Villa next Wednesday.

The PA news agency has contacted Everton for comment.

Dyche’s reign had been effectively over since Everton’s defeat at Bournemouth on January 4, with the new owners initially sounding out former Chelsea boss Graham Potter, who subsequently joined West Ham.

PA understands the surprising timing of the announcement of Dyche’s departure, which came after he had held his press conference for the Peterborough game, was due to wrangling over the terms of his pay-off.

Former Everton defender Leighton Baines, now under-18s head coach, and club captain Seamus Coleman, who is currently injured, took charge against Posh.

Everton defender Michael Keane conceded that the players have to take some responsibility for Dyche’s sacking.

“Any time you lose a manager it’s really disappointing and sad,” said Keane.

“He has been brilliant for me. He’s been a brilliant manager, is a brilliant manager. It’s just one of those things. It’s football and it doesn’t always work out.”