RB Leipzig chief Oliver Mintzlaff expects Everton managerial target Ralf Rangnick to extend contract

RB Leipzig sporting director Ralf Rangnick is expected to reject Everton's overtures and commit his future to the Bundesliga outfit according to the club's chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff, who believes the 59-year-old will sign a new contract in the coming days.

Rangnick emerged as a left-field target for the Goodison Park hotseat after the troubled Toffees called time on their pursuit of Watford manager Marco Silva, who is expected to stay at Vicarage Road until the end of the season after the Hornets remained staunch in their refusal to part with him.

Everton majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri had identified Silva as his number one target to succeed Ronald Koeman, who was relieved of his duties on Merseyside over a month ago, but he has now accepted that he will not be able to prise the Portuguese away from Watford, who understandably have no interest in losing their manager so soon after hiring him.

Everton's bedraggled search for Koeman's successor is currently in its fifth week, with Leipzig chief Rangnick the latest in a long line of names ranging from Diego Simeone and Sam Allardyce to be linked with the vacant managerial post.

Rangnick was interviewed by Everton chairman Bill Kenwright when he was looking for David Moyes' successor in the summer of 2013 but the theatre impresario decided against appointing the former Schalke and Hoffenheim boss, instead plumping for Roberto Martinez, whose tenure on Merseyside ended disastrously.

Kenwright and co's interest in Rangnick has perhaps surprisingly been reignited in recent days, but Leipzig do not seem to be willing the entertain the Merseysiders' wishes, with chief executive Mintzlaff keen to press on with tying the German down to fresh terms.

"We expect to extend the contract ahead of schedule this week," Mintzlaff told SportBild. "Ralf Rangnick is the sportive engine of our club and therefore also elementary for our future development."

Leipzig recently evidenced their tough negotiating skills with Liverpool over Naby Keita, who will eventually move to Anfield next summer, but Everton need an immediate solution to their managerial vacancy and cannot afford to enter a period of drawn-out negotiations as the games tick away.

Everton's failure to appoint a new permanent manager only hardens interim boss David Unsworth's case to be installed as Koeman's successor until at least the end of the season. Unsworth has overseen three losses, one draw and one win during his second spell in temporary charge at Goodison Park and has made no secret of his desire to take on the job for a sustained period of time.

Burnley boss Sean Dyche is one of the few possible candidates remaining and was expected by many to succeed Koeman, but Everton do not seem interested in the Englishman who has a rather meagre release clause in his contract at Turf Moor.