Pep Guardiola breaks silence on Man City future and England links as Roy Keane sends bold message

Pep Guardiola is out of contract at Manchester City at the end of the season and has been linked with taking over as England manager

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has hinted that his future is up in the air, noting "anything can happen" amid speculation linking him with the England job. The Spaniard has clinched six Premier League titles and a Champions League crown since his 2016 arrival at the Etihad Stadium, but his contract is due to expire next summer.

Expressing a "deep" affection for the club, he hasn't dismissed the possibility of an extension, yet remains uncommitted, sparking rumours about potentially stepping into Gareth Southgate's shoes as England's coach.

"Leaving City? It’s not true, I haven’t decided yet," Guardiola admitted on the Italian TV programme Che tempo Che Fa. "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."

Former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane feels the FA should push the boat out to appoint Guardiola. The ex-Sunderland manager feels they need to show ambition as they look for Southgate's replacement, with Lee Carsley currently taking the role on an interim basis.

"The FA have to go for the best guy, whatever," Keane said on ITV during coverage of Sunday night's 3-1 win over Finland. "Go for the best. Pep’s contract is up in the summer."

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe is one of a number of names linked with the role, although he is believed to be happy at St James' Park, having helped transform the club under new owners in the last three years. Former Chelsea and Brighton boss Graham Potter is also among the favourites to succeed Southgate on a permanent basis, although another ex-Chelsea manager, Thomas Tuchel, is the bookmakers' favourite.

Newcastle United transfer news straight to your phone on WhatsApp

It's quick and easy to join. Just click this link and select 'Join Community' to get started.

Plus you can follow our new Newcastle United channel right here - just follow this link

Your informational will be hidden, you'll only ever receive messages from the Chronicle Live sports team, and you can leave any time you like. For more information, click here. You can read our Privacy Notice here.