A NUNO NO IS PALACE’S BIG WORRY

CRYSTAL PALACE have made Nuno Espirito Santo a firm offer to become their new manager – but they fear Everton could move in with a better one and a bigger transfer fund.

Talks with the Portuguese have progressed over the last week, with negotiations over the size of the backroom staff the former Wolves boss wants to bring to Selhurst Park and wages.

But he has not yet given Palace an answer on their offer and Everton are still keen on taking the 47-year-old to Goodison Park to fill the managerial vacancy left by Carlo Ancelotti’s move to Real Madrid.

Palace are waiting on Nuno’s decision and there is anxiety that Everton could move in. The Merseyside club have also held talks with the former Porto manager, but yet not made a concrete offer.

Everton too have Nuno (above) as their favoured option but are also interested in former manager David Moyes, now at West Ham, and Eddie Howe.

Nuno shot to the top of Palace’s shortlist last week ahead of Swansea manager Steve Cooper, although former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has also been interviewed for the job.

Nuno left Wolves after four years in charge at Molineux, having won the Championship title, earned two seventh-placed finishes, a Europa League quarter-final and an FA Cup semi-final, after a fallout with the club’s owners over transfers.

Palace were hoping to make a quick appointment after Roy Hodgson left the club two weeks ago in emotional circumstances after four years in charge – but the process has dragged on.

Burnley’s Sean Dyche, Howe and Barnsley boss Valerian Ismael have been other contenders – but Nuno’s ability to keep a team in the Premier League is a crucial factor for the Palace board.

Whoever eventually does take charge at Palace will have a big task ahead of them, despite striker Christian Benteke signing a new two-year deal this week.

More than a dozen players will still be out of contract and at the end of this month in an ageing squad, though some will be offered fresh deals.