Gareth Southgate: I will not speak to any club until after Euros

Gareth Southgate has promised he will not speak to any club interested in hiring him until after this summer’s European Championship.

The England manager said it was “completely disrespectful” to link him to the Manchester United job given Erik ten Hag remains in post.

More importantly Southgate, whose contract runs out at the end of this year, insisted he would “never entertain” speaking to anyone else while he was in charge of England.

Southgate’s stance would certainly appear to rule him out of taking a club job in time for the start of the next pre-season given, if England reach the final of Euro 2024, he would not be available to even discuss a job until July 15.

“I think I’ve answered this every time I’ve sat with you,” Southgate said. “My focus is the European Championships. If we did a contract here before then everybody would be saying: ‘Why are you signing a contract before a Euros where you’ve got to prove yourself?’ I’m certainly not going to speak to anyone else, I never have, I’ve been eight years in the job and would never entertain speaking to anyone else while I’m in a job.”

Southgate was also dismissive of links to the United job. “There are two things from my point of view,” he said. “Firstly, I am the England manager and I have got one job, basically, to try and deliver a European Championship. Clearly, before that, two important games this week.

“And the second thing is Manchester United have a manager. I think it is always completely disrespectful when there is any speculation about a manager who is in place. I am president of the LMA (League Managers Association) so I don’t have any time for that sort of thing.”

The FA would like to tie Southgate to a new contract after the Euros but will not open talks under after the tournament.