England are willing to 'wait' for Pep Guardiola to replace Gareth Southgate

The Football Association may be willing to wait to offer Pep Guardiola the vacant England job, possibly for a while yet, according to a report.

Gareth Southgate announced his resignation as England manager on Tuesday, two days after a heartbreaking defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final. The Three Lions bounced back from Germany with runners-up honors in hand after Mikel Oyarzabal's late goal decided a tense contest.

The list of candidates remains long, with Lee Carsley – the current Under-21 manager, Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino among the names. However, Manchester City manager Guardiola is also on England's radar and the country may be willing to make a smart move to bring him in.

The Independent he writes that the FA is serious about the ability shown by the City manager, especially his ability to win trophies. It is thought Guardiola could leave his current employer at the end of next season, with his contract set to expire in 2025.

The FA are still keen to make a quick decision, but could appoint Carsley as interim manager while they wait to tempt Guardiola. The move may sound familiar, given Southgate's first appointment in a similar fashion, before going on to enjoy eight years in charge of the national team.

It is thought an international managerial job could appeal to Guardiola, who has spent the past eight years guiding City to unprecedented dominance in England. If he is to leave the Premier League next summer, the FA believe they can secure his signature.

The European Championship may have just ended, but England will be looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup, with qualifying for the tournament scheduled for March.

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