According to MailSport’s Sami Mokbel, the Football Association are giving serious thought of appointing Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola as the next England manager once Gareth Southgate steps down.
Southgate has been in charge of the Three Lions since 2016 and to date, the 53-year-old has managed 270 games for the national teams. His current contract with England expires in 2024 and there’s a belief that he is going to leave his position after next summer’s European Championships.
If Mokbel’s information is to be believed then the FA are already planning for life after Gareth Southgate and it looks like the current MCFC manager is their primary target.
Pep Guardiola is easily one of the most successful managers of the modern era and he’s already won five Premier Leagues and one Champions League during his seven-year stay in England. Last season, he also went and achieved the elusive English treble with the Cityzens.
Will Pep Guardiola leave MCFC and take charge of England?
This is not the first time Pep Guardiola has been linked with a national team because in the past, he’s been wanted by Brazil and also Spain. However, both times, the 52-year-old has rejected the approaches to continue in club life.
It will be a dream for all the Three Lions fans to see Guardiola take charge of their team but we have serious doubts if he is going to leave MCFC and become the successor to Gareth Southgate.
The major stumble in this plan is that Guardiola’s current Etihad contract does not expire until the summer of 2025 and if Southgate is leaving in 2024 then the only way the FA will be able to bring Pep Guardiola in is if he decides to terminate his MCFC deal 12 months early.
The 52-year-old shares a great relationship with the City owners so it’s highly unlikely that he will leave early. On top of that, there are rumours that Pep is going to sign a contract extension very soon.
Once Gareth Southgate decides to leave his position as England manager the FA will surely knock on Pep Guardiola’s door but it’s highly unlikely that he is going to accept this offer. The only way he can be lured in is if the Spanish manager feels he has achieved everything at club level and now needs a fresh challenge.
