Everton summer plans underway but takeover uncertainty leaves Sean Dyche without guarantees

Forward planning for next season is underway at Everton but uncertainty around the club’s ownership continues to leave Sean Dyche “juggling sand”.

Two wins in four days have redefined the final weeks of the Blues’ campaign with the latter - the emphatic Merseyside derby victory over Liverpool - providing a shot of confidence through the club while taking it to the brink of Premier League survival.

Safety could be confirmed this weekend - a remarkable achievement given the eight points of deductions and wider off-field instability that has dogged a team that only secured its top-flight status in the final week of the last two campaigns.

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The wins over Nottingham Forest and Liverpool have moved Everton eight points clear of the bottom three with just four games to go. The commanding position over not just Luton Town but also Forest mean director of football Kevin Thelwell should be able to forward-plan for another season in the Premier League with confidence for the first time in his Goodison Park career.

While that would typically offer a crucial period for the club to begin work on its summer plans, in Everton’s case that remains difficult for those involved in the footballing operation at Finch Farm, including Thelwell and Dyche. An interim board has been in place at the club since last summer and remains in position while an attempted takeover by US firm 777 Partners continues to struggle through the Premier League approval process.

Neither a breakthrough, nor the emergence of a challenger, would provide immediate certainty over