The Football Association has expressed appetite for Gareth Southgate to extend his stay after he hinted he was open to continuing to lead England to the 2026 World Cup.

Southgate is contracted until December, but, speaking Uefa’s Nations League draw in Paris on Thursday, he suggested he could carry on for a fifth major tournament.

His comments were non-committal, but seen as positive by senior Wembley figures who would be delighted to keep him at the helm for another cycle. A final decision had been ruled out until the summer as Southgate says his “only focus” is to try to win the European Championship.

“You’ve got to see how the summer goes – it’s as simple as that,” he said ahead of Germany 2024, in which England are among the favourites. “In my view, I know what we’re capable of achieving in the summer. I know what my own benchmark of success would be. After that I’m not really thinking about anything else at the moment.”

The FA is understood to have welcomed the prospect of Southgate potentially extending his stay. There had been speculation around Southgate’s future in the lead up to the previous World Cup in Qatar. Southgate only made up his mind that he would stay in the days after the team’s quarter-final defeat by France.

Southgate, meanwhile, has cited his goalkeeping option as one of his most challenging areas as he considers Euro squad options ahead of warm-up friendlies this March.

“It is up in the air, I can’t deny that so again we have to make sure we’re watching everybody,” Southgate said. Aaron Ramsdale has lost his place at Arsenal, Sam Johnstone has yet to force his way back into the Crystal Palace team while Nick Pope is still out with his shoulder dislocation. Rangers’ Jack Butland, Southgate confirmed, is among players being monitored.

“He’s obviously playing at a big club and is an experienced keeper,” Southgate said. “It’s not an ideal situation with Aaron not playing, Sam at the moment not playing and Nick injured. We’ll have to see how it plays out.”