Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is one of several candidates to have been sounded out by the Football Association to become the next England manager, sources have told ESPN.
Guardiola’s contract with City expires at the end of the season, and he is an intriguing candidate given the FA are open to appointing a foreign coach and the 53-year-old has previously expressed his desire to manage at international level.
However, sources have told ESPN that no formal approach has been made and it is currently unclear whether Guardiola would have any interest in taking the role.
Sources added that City expect to know Guardiola’s decision by the end of January at the latest, with his next move potentially informed by the outcome of the club’s trial against the Premier League in which they are facing 115 charges of breaking financial rules.
If Guardiola were to sign a one-year contract extension with City to extend his stay at the club to 10 years, he would have to work without longtime colleague Txiki Begiristain, who will leave his role as City’s director of football at the end of the season and be replaced by Hugo Viana.
As well as working alongside Guardiola at Barcelona, Begiristain has overseen a period of unprecedented success at the Etihad, including seven Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2023, but sources have told ESPN that City hope Begiristain’s exit will not effect Guardiola’s decision over his own future.
Next month’s international break is viewed as a key period in which Guardiola will examine his future, a moment which coincides with the proposed end of Lee Carsley’s spell as interim England boss.
Carsley was appointed on a temporary basis in August following Gareth Southgate’s decision to end his eight-year tenure after losing the Euro 2024 final to Spain.
He has repeatedly dodged questions over whether he would be interested in the role on a permanent basis, claiming his “remit” from FA technical director John McDermott was to take charge for England’s six autumn fixtures between September and November.
England beat Republic of Ireland and Finland in September before losing to Greece and defeating Finland again this month.
Carsley’s final fixtures are against Greece and then Republic of Ireland at Wembley with England in a battle to finish top of UEFA Nations League B, Group 2.
Carsley stepped up from his role as England Under-21s boss and would return there if the FA pursue another candidate to succeed Southgate.
Sources have told ESPN that, while there has been speculation over whether the FA were waiting for Carsley to prove himself in the role, the organisation has in fact been active in speaking to other potential candidates.
The FA has not publicly commented on the process but sources have indicated former Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel is a possible option.
The job specification, published in July, said the successful candidate would need “significant experience of English football” and “a strong track record delivering results in the Premier League and/or leading international competitions”.
Former Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp was also linked to the role prior to agreeing a new position with Red Bull. Possible English candidates include Newcastle manager Eddie Howe and ex-Chelsea boss Graham Potter, although neither has won a major trophy.
England reached back-to-back Euros finals under Southgate and are targeting a first trophy in 60 years at the 2026 World Cup.
