Gary Neville and Roy Keane believe Gareth Southgate could become the next Manchester United manager thanks to his links with new sporting director Dan Ashworth.
Southgate is preparing for the upcoming European Championship with England, who go into the tournament in Germany as one of the main contenders to go all out.
But there is a degree of uncertainty about what will happen for the Three Lions boss after the end of the competition, with links developing between him and the position at Old Trafford.
Although Southgate has some experience as a club manager – he was in charge of Middlesbrough from 2006 to 2009 – there would certainly be doubts over whether he can make the transition from an international role.
Yet Manchester United legends Neville and Keane have backed Southgate to take up a job at Old Trafford if Erik ten Hag were to leave the club, although the former admitted this would leave his current employers England in the lurch ahead of the European Championship .
Gareth Southgate’s future beyond this summer remains under a cloud of uncertainty
Erik ten Hag has had a difficult time in his second season at Manchester United and is under pressure
Gary Neville believes Dan Ashworth’s arrival at Man United means a move for Southgate seems a more realistic proposition
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‘I never saw Gareth Southgate as manager of Manchester United, psychologically speaking, I never saw that. I see it now, now that Dan Ashworth has come in,” Neville told the Stick with the football podcastis sponsored by Sky bet.
‘I just think: what does Erik ten Hag have to do to remain manager of Manchester United? For example, is the FA Cup enough, or should he be in the top four or top five of the Champions League?
“I think if Gareth leaves, I honestly think you will have seen this in tournaments, but it has never been easy. In England, the qualifiers will start again a few months after the tournament, so they will need a new manager. And Gareth will have to sort out his future, to find a club for possibly the start of next season.
“So I think if it’s done in a mature way I can see how it would be brought out in terms of Gareth. Forget Manchester United, England should appoint a new manager.
‘So they will probably have to appoint a new manager before the tournament (the European Championship this summer).’
Neville’s former teammate Keane agreed with the sentiment, claiming he was not surprised by the links between Southgate and United, given his previous links with Ashworth since their time together in the FA.
“I could see that happening (Gareth Southgate becoming the next manager of Manchester United),” Keane added to Stick To Football.
‘Well, obviously everyone thinks he’ll probably play for England this summer if he has a good championship and thinks if they can win it. And if they don’t, they might think you’ve run your race with him.
Roy Keane echoed Neville’s sentiments and said he could see Southgate taking on the role
Sir Jim Ratcliffe recently bought a 27.7 percent stake in the club and has taken control of its football operations
‘His connection with Dan Ashworth, who he has worked with before. Yeah, I’m not that surprised.’
There is no guarantee there will be a vacancy at Old Trafford as Ten Hag could keep his job until the end of the season.
The Dutchman has had a difficult second campaign at the club, but is in the semi-finals of the FA Cup with United. A trophy and securing Champions League football could be enough for him to keep control at Old Trafford.
And Arsenal icon Ian Wright says it is ‘strange’ to speculate on Ten Hag’s position, while also claiming it is ‘out of order’ to discuss Southgate’s own future while dealing with the pressure of to build up to the European Championship.
He also suggested that Ten Hag had the impression of someone ‘at the end of his rope’ during the match against Liverpool.
While Wright said he felt Ten Hag would get time from Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the ex-England striker also claimed Southgate has the ‘status’ to lead the Red Devils.
“You know what’s strange about it, when you listen to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s speech, how he admires Arsenal’s patience with Mikel Arteta, which has obviously given him even more time because of the FA Cup,” he told Stick To Football.
‘It gave me the impression that Sir Jim is going to give Erik ten Hag time. That’s how it feels because when you talk about Arteta and patience, and he’s quite admirable about the way he talks about it.
Ian Wright claimed it was ‘strange’ to discuss Ten Hag’s position at United as he is under enormous pressure
Southgate has worked with a number of Man United stars in England, such as Marcus Rashford
“I can see Gareth Southgate on the line, the way he will be dressed and his attitude. I could see him; he has the status to be the manager of Manchester United. As he is.
‘And we’re not talking about, I’m not being disrespectful, but in a way I am, but about his huge, big polo necks, and he doesn’t look all dressed up, he looks like he has the stature for Manchester United with Erik ten Hag, you can feel that sometimes.
‘But when Gareth talks about someone who looks good, he will probably look like the role at stake for Manchester United.’
Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Ian Wright spoke on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky bet