Pep Guardiola has not ruled out the possibility of taking over as head coach of England's men's national team, though he remains uncertain about his future at Manchester City.
"Leaving City? It's not true, I haven't decided yet," Guardiola said in an interview on the Italian TV show Che Tempo Che Fa, as reported by Sky Sport Italia and translated by The Guardian. "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."
Guardiola's current contract with Manchester City is set to expire at the end of the season. Speculation about his departure has been fueled by recent news that City's sporting director, Txiki Begiristain, will step down next summer. Begiristain, who has a close working relationship with Guardiola, will be replaced by Hugo Viana.
The uncertainty surrounding Guardiola’s future coincides with the Football Association's search for a permanent replacement for Gareth Southgate as the England manager. Lee Carsley, who has been serving as interim coach since August, recently stated that he hasn’t applied for the role on a full-time basis. His position has come under scrutiny following England's defeat to Greece and his post-match comments.
England has previously appointed foreign managers, including Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello. Guardiola, however, brings a more impressive trophy record than either of those former coaches and has extensive experience in English football. The FA has attempted to hire managers with profiles similar to Guardiola in the past, including Jose Mourinho in 2007 and Arsene Wenger in 2016, according to The Athletic's Tim Spiers.
