Can he make United whole again?
Gareth Southgate is one of the names on Manchester United’s shortlist of potential long-term managers to replace Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, according to reports.
BREAKING: Sky sources: @England boss Gareth Southgate is under consideration to be the next permanent manager of @ManUtd. #SSN pic.twitter.com/HxhLJsDyOT
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 12, 2019
United are on the search for a successor to interim boss Solksjaer after they sacked José Mourinho in early December. Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino is their top priority, but the club are also considering a list of other names in case they cannot prise the Argentine away from Tottenham.
Southgate’s last job in club management came at his former club Middlesbrough, when they were relegated in 2008/09. However, he did oversee the club’s biggest ever Premier League win – an 8-1 thrashing of pre-money Manchester City in 2007/08.
The England boss was also nominated for world coach of the year in Fifa’s The Best awards after taking England to their first World Cup semi-final since 1990. England lost to Croatia, as I’m sure you’ll remember, but exceeded all expectation.
Southgate is currently under contract with the FA to manage England until 2022, and is keen to take England through the UEFA Nations League finals in June, to Euro 2020 and the Qatar World Cup in 2022, so it’s very unlikely that he’ll end up in the Old Trafford dugout, even if they want him.
In a separate report, The Sunday Mirror claim Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone is another name on that managerial shortlist.
Should Solskjaer get his sixth straight win as United’s caretaker boss, against Tottenham, he could yet find himself on that shortlist too.
