91Èȱ¬

Former Everton midfielder Mickey Thomas has tipped Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay to succeed David Moyes at Goodison Park.

Moyes will take over from Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United in July.

Mackay's odds have shortened significantly for the Everton job but Cardiff have said they have received no approach to speak with their manager.

"Malky Mackay, I've been told, is a strong candidate for that job," Thomas told 91Èȱ¬ Wales Sport.

"I know he's just got promotion with Cardiff but the strong talk on Merseyside is that Malky Mackay would be their choice.

"For me it would be Malky Mackay. He's done magnificent at Cardiff City."

Former Watford manager Mackay joined Cardiff in June 2011 and he guided the club to the Championship title and promotion to the Premier League in his second season in charge.

He has been promised £25m from Cardiff chairman Vincent Tan to spend on new players for next season

Moyes will leave Everton after 11 years in charge at Goodison Park at the end of the season to join United on a six-year deal.

Everton chairman Bill Kenwright has said he will not make a snap decision on Moyes' successor and Cardiff have said they have not been contacted.

"No approach has been made to enquire of the services of any of our players or staff at this time," said the Bluebirds in a statement.

Swansea City's Michael Laudrup and Wigan's Roberto Martinez are among the front-runners for the job, along with Celtic boss Neil Lennon.

Former Everton captain Kevin Ratcliffe believes former Denmark international Laudrup, who joined Swansea in June 2012 and won the Capital One Cup in his first year, would be a good choice.

"It's wouldn't be a bad choice at all and it's one you wouldn't disagree with," Ratcliffe said.

"In his first year at Swansea he's won something. Evertonians would have loved that in David Moyes' period.

"If Everton were interested in Michael Laudrup, I'm sure he would have a look at it.

"Roberto has been mentioned but Evertonians are quite fickle.

"They will be looking at Martinez and saying what a great job he's done financially, very similar to Moyes.

"But for the last four years he's never looked at the Wigan defence and made it mean.

"He's just expecting to escape relegation with half a dozen games to go.

"Evertonians don't want to be thinking about relegation and finishing fourth from bottom.

"They want to be looking at getting into the Champions League and going another step further than David Moyes could take the football club, just like Moyes did when he came in.

"Hopefully Bill Kenwright makes the right decision just like he did 11 years ago when he appointed David Moyes."