Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has discussed the possibility of becoming the next England manager.
The Spaniard is the Football Association’s (FA) dream successor to Gareth Southgate, who left the role after the 2024 European Championship final.
After eight and a half years at the Etihad Stadium, Guardiola is set to cut ties with Man City when his contract runs out at the end of the season.
There’s a decent chance that the Premier League champions will convince him to stick around for one more year.
However, the general feeling is that Guardiola will end his illustrious spell at the Etihad next summer, and his recent comments have stirred the FA’s hopes of securing his services.
“Leaving City? It’s not true, I haven’t decided yet,” Guardiola said when asked about his future (via The Times).
“And it is not even true that I will be the next England coach. If I had decided, I would say it. I don’t know either – anything can happen.”
After Southgate’s exit, the FA tasked Under-21 manager Lee Carsley with leading the Three Lions until the end of the year.
However, the Birmingham-born Ireland International is reluctant to stake a strong claim for the permanent role.
That leaves the FA scouring the market for other potential options, although they’re willing to consider foreign candidates to succeed Southgate.
Guardiola is their primary target, but getting him on board is tricky, considering the uncertainty regarding his future at Man City.
The former Barcelona manager has strong ties with Man City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak, who has already convinced him to extend his contract three times.
Guardiola is also good friends with the director of football, Txiki Begiristain. However, after 12 years at the Etihad, he has decided to leave his position at the end of the season.
The manager is expected to follow his former Barca teammate through the Etihad exit, but the FA are not keeping all their eggs in the same basket.
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe and former Chelsea boss Graham Potter have also been mooted as potential candidates if the move for Guardiola falls through.
