Thomas Tuchel’s short-term agreement with the FA left the future beyond 2026 unclear and speculation about his successor is already cranking into gear.
The England manager led the Three Lions for his first pair of matches last month, overseeing two comfortable wins in qualification for next summer’s World Cup.
Tuchel and England joined forces with a clear objective to win the World Cup but it’s understood that the FA isn’t actively planning for a managerial change.
Could the FA line up a top-tier replacement for Thomas Tuchel?
But failure is always a possibility and Tuchel himself is not obliged to continue in his role after the World Cup, so the FA is reportedly carrying out its due diligence and setting its sights on another big name if replacing Tuchel is necessary.
According to reporting by TEAMtalk, the FA has drawn up a shortlist of three candidates with impeccable Premier League pedigree.
Eddie Howe delivered Newcastle United’s first major trophy for 70 years by winning the Carabao Cup this season and is believed to be one of the FA’s candidates to step into Tuchel’s shoes as England manager.
Howe has long been linked with the Three Lions job but is joined on the shortlist by two foreign managers with a wealth of Premier League experience between them.
Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola are both winners of England’s top division and complete the reported trio in the FA’s crosshairs.
Klopp took up his role as Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull as recently as January but could perhaps be tempted to return to management if either Tuchel or Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann is out of a job next summer.
Manchester City boss Guardiola, who is ranked no. 1 in FourFourTwo’s list of the best managers in the world right now, signed a new contract in November that runs to the summer of 2027.
The six-time Premier League winner has been in position at the Etihad Stadium for longer than he’s stayed in either of his previous managerial jobs and City’s struggle to live up to their self-imposed standards this season has cracked the edifice of Guardiola’s tenure for the first time.
England stands out as a potential next move for the City manager but there would be no guarantee with Klopp and Howe in the running.
“England have been linked with both Klopp and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola before and we can confirm that there is interest on both sides,” reports TEAMtalk.
“No formal talks have been held and nothing is advanced.”
For now, all four men have their attentions elsewhere. The England job isn’t vacant and the incumbent is in the early days of his reign.
