- England searching for permanent successor to Gareth Southgate
- Guardiola touted as dream candidate for FA
- Interim boss Lee Carsley distanced himself from full-time role
By Tom Gott
The England Football Association have made contact with Pep Guardiola about taking charge of the national team, according to a new report.
England are on the hunt for a new boss following Gareth Southgate's departure this summer and, while Eddie Howe, Graham Potter and Thomas Tuchel are known to have admirers inside the FA, it is Guardiola who is seen as the dream appointment.
The Times report that the FA reached out to Guardiola informally this summer to register their interest in the Manchester City manager, who is not believed to have offered a response either way as it stands.
It is expected that Guardiola will make a final decision on his future with City in the coming weeks. The Spaniard is approaching the final six months of his contract and has not decided his next move, despite City making it clear he still has a home at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola confirmed as much in a recent appearance on Italian TV, in which he also refused to rule out joining the England team in future by suggesting "anything can happen".
City have previously persuaded Guardiola to extend his contract when he was tipped to leave, largely thanks to the influence of chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak, and there's no evidence to suggest that the eight-time Premier League winners won't look to do so again.
Guardiola is the Premier League's second most successful manager, winning six titles to sit only behind Sir Alex Ferguson in the list of all-time greats. He sits ahead of Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho by three, stemming from their respective times at Arsenal and Chelsea.
In terms of current England interim boss Lee Carsley, he has offered mixed messages about his interest in the permanent role and is not expected to remain in charge beyond the original plan, which was to lead the team through the November international break.
