Next Klopp job: England tipped to replace Southgate with Liverpool icon as clear favourite emerges

The future of Gareth Southgate as England manager is unclear after the Three Lions lost 2-1 to Spain in the Euro 2024 final on Sunday night.

The 53-year-old coach will make an announcement soon about whether he will stand down despite having the backing of the Football Association to continue in the role.

When asked about his future shortly after the defeat to Spain, Southgate said: “Now is not the time for me to discuss that. I understand the question of course, but I need to speak to the right people – we will go from there.

“It has been an amazing experience to lead a team to a final, but at the moment to come up short is very painful.”

But pundits have already begun speculating about who could replace Southgate should he step down as England boss, with Liverpool legend Jurgen Klopp among those admired.

Speaking on The Rest is Football Podcast, Gary Lineker floated Klopp as Southgate’s potential successor.

“I’m fairly convinced [Southgate will leave],” Lineker said. “That’s my point [that the game has tactically moved on].

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“The right person to bring the nation together and now maybe it’s time for somebody else with a more modern, attacking style of football.

“I think the game has gone away from being successful if you’re defensive. “Do you go English? There’s only really Eddie Howe. Say Gareth does call it a day? I suspect he will, it must be so tough, demanding, so hard.

“If you go English, we mentioned, somebody maybe like Lampard, who would get respect. But wouldn’t you go all out for Jurgen Klopp?”

Co-host Micah Richards responded with another potential candidate: “I’d go one bigger, Pep [Guardiola]!”

“We’d all love Pep,” Lineker replied. “But Klopp is out of a job and would have had a bit of a rest [before the 2026 World Cup].”

Sources: Eddie Howe admired by FA chiefs

While appointing a big name like Klopp or Guardiola as the next England manager would certainly be a statement move, Howe seems a likelier option.

Sources have exclusively revealed to TEAMtalk’s Fraser (Fletcher) Gillan that some FA decision-makers big admirers of the Newcastle boss and view him as a serious candidate to replace Southgate.

There is a belief behind the scenes that they could lure him away from Newcastle despite the manager being under on a long-term contract at St James’ Park, which is reportedly valid until 2027.

However, former Chelsea and Brighton boss Graham Potter is the current odds-on favourite to replace Southgate according to the bookmakers.

Potter has been without a job since being sacked by Chelsea in April 2023, but still has plenty of admirers within the game.

He has held talks with Ajax, Brighton, Leicester City and others in recent months but has so far yet to put pen to paper on a deal at a new club.

Former Tottenham and Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has also emerged as the third-favourite as per the bookies, behind Potter and Howe.

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