TWTD understands former Blues loanee Franny Jeffers has been at Playford Road for the last couple of days to hold talks with manager Paul Cook about joining his coaching staff.
Jeffers, currently Everton’s U23s coach, is a candidate to become one of a number of additions to Cook’s backroom team over the summer.
We understand the return of Jeffers, 40, to the club where he had a successful spell between March and May 2007, scoring four times in seven starts and two sub appearances, is still to be confirmed.
Cook has various roles to be filled over the summer among them his assistant, with his Chesterfield, Portsmouth and Wigan deputy Leam Richardson having been named the permanent boss of the Latics.
Contenders for that role include current U23s coach Kieron Dyer, former Blues forward Noel Hunt and ex-defender John McGreal, although the latter seems less likely as he is believed to be keen to manage a club of his own.
Jeffers may also be in the running for that position, while Cook is also likely to be looking for another first-team coach with Matt Gill having moved on and a goalkeeper-coach to replace Jimmy Walker.
Former striker Jeffers came through the ranks at hometown club Everton before moving to Arsenal for £8 million in June 2001.
While at Highbury he won one full England cap and scored before returning to Goodison Park on loan.
Spells with Charlton, Rangers (loan) and Blackburn followed before he moved to the Blues for his loan spell.
After his time with Town, Jeffers played at Sheffield Wednesday, in Australia with Newcastle Jets in two spells, Motherwell, Floriana in Malta and finally Accrington Stanley.
Having hung up his boots, Jeffers started voluntarily working at Everton's academy before formally joining the staff in October 2016. He has been their U23s coach since 2018.