Pep Guardiola 'sounded out' over England job

The English FA have reportedly made initial contact with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola about taking over as their new head coach.

England remain in the hunt for a long-term successor to Gareth Southgate after he departed in the wake of his side’s Euro 2024 final loss to Spain.

The Times now state that ‘informal contact’ was made with Guardiola earlier this season about taking over the English national team.

However, the former Barcelona boss has given no response to the FA regarding any potential interest in that job.

Other candidates are also being considered by the FA, with interim coach Lee Carsley looking increasingly unlikely to land the role on a long-term basis.

City are eager to keep Guardiola, whose contract expires at the end of the current season and whose future has been thrown into further uncertainty by the club’s court case with the Premier League which could result in a heavy punishment and would likely affect his decision-making.

“I haven’t decided yet on my future and it is not true that I’ll be the next England coach,” he told Italian television over the weekend. “If I had decided then I would say that but I don’t know either. Anything can happen.”

If Guardiola, who met with City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak last week in Abu Dhabi for commercial reasons, does opt against staying at the Etihad Stadium, it is suggested he will inform the club as soon as possible in order to give them time to find a successor.

Thomas Tuchel, Eddie Howe and Graham Potter are also believed to be among the names on the St George’s Park shortlist to take over.