Pep Guardiola: The Manchester City manager has been approached regarding the open position of England’s head coach.

Pep Guardiola’s future at Manchester City has become a hot topic of discussion as his contract is set to expire at the end of the current season. The esteemed manager is now being linked with the vacant England manager’s position, a role that has been unfilled since Gareth Southgate stepped down after leading the team to the final of the European Championship last summer.

In the interim, Lee Carsley has taken charge of the national team, but he has yet to confirm whether he wishes to be considered for the role on a permanent basis. Under his stewardship, the team has recorded three wins and one defeat, but uncertainty remains about his candidacy for the full-time position.

Reports suggest that the Football Association (FA) is exploring a range of potential candidates for the managerial role, and Guardiola’s name has emerged as a prominent contender. According to The Times, the FA made initial contact with Guardiola at the start of the season to gauge his interest in the position.

Guardiola, who has enjoyed immense success at Manchester City, having secured six titles in his nine seasons at the helm, is undoubtedly a sought-after figure in the footballing world. When questioned about his future by The Times, he stated, “Leaving City? It’s not true, I haven’t decided yet. 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.”

Should Guardiola take the reins of the England team, he would become the third foreign manager to do so on a full-time basis, following in the footsteps of the late Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello. However, he is not the only name in the mix; The Times also reports that Thomas Tuchel, the former Chelsea manager currently without a club, and Newcastle’s Eddie Howe are among the other candidates being considered.

As for Carsley, he has two crucial matches ahead—an away fixture against Greece and a home game against the Republic of Ireland—to make his case for the permanent role.

Meanwhile, Guardiola’s focus remains on Manchester City, who currently sit second in the Premier League table with five wins and two draws from their opening seven matches. The team will return to league action after the international break, facing Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

The coming weeks promise to be pivotal for both Guardiola and the England national team as they navigate their respective futures.