KANSAS CITY -- The Royals continue their deliberate approach toward finding a new manager to replace the retired Ned Yost, and it is believed they already have interviewed internal candidates bullpen coach Vance Wilson, catching coach Pedro Grifol and special advisor to player development Mike Matheny.

Royals general manager Dayton Moore would not confirm any interviews have taken place, but he said the process for finding a new manager has been ongoing for months.

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“I’m very comfortable with the manner this process is going,” Moore told MLB.com. “As you know, it’s a unique situation with new ownership coming in. But the process that has included Mr. [John] Sherman and Mr. [David] Glass has gone very well, and I am comfortable with the direction we are going. It is a very important hire, and we are doing all we can in vetting potential candidates and finding the right person to be the next manager.”

There is no timeline for the hire, and Moore would not indicate if a decision is near.

A source has stated that there are external candidates involved as well, and those candidates have been interviewed remotely.

It also is believed that bench coach Dale Sveum is no longer a candidate to be manager, and instead he has expressed a desire to be in a different role in the organization, a situation that is being worked out.

Wilson reportedly interviewed at Kauffman Stadium this week. Grifol and Matheny interviewed on-site previously, according to a source.

Grifol also has interviewed for the Giants managerial opening.