Derby manager Wayne Rooney said on Friday he turned down the chance to be interviewed by Everton to stay with the financially stricken Championship club.
The former England and Manchester United captain had two spells with his boyhood club Everton as a player.
However, the lure of a return to Goodison Park was not enough for Rooney to give up on the challenge of keeping the Rams in the second tier of English football despite a 21-point deduction due to financial problems.
Derby are second bottom of the Championship, but just eight points adrift of safety.