Next Match of the Day presenter: Who might succeed Gary Lineker after Jermaine Jenas sacked by BBC

The search for the next presenter of Match of the Day could soon be afoot.

Gary Lineker’s £1.3million-a-year contract expires at the end of the season and the 63-year-old has been open about the clock ticking on his career hosting English football’s most esteemed programme.

Discussions over Lineker’s future will no doubt take place at the BBC in the coming months and that much-publicised pay packet could be central to talks, particularly given the criticism it draws on the former striker from some corners of the media and public.

But with his ever-growing podcast empire, Goalhanger, to keep him busy, it could soon be that Lineker simply feels the time is right to call it a day.

It has been well reported for some time now that Jermaine Jenas was a prime candidate to succeed him as the regular presenter, having become a BBC staple on the MOTD pundit roster, the host of spin-off MOTDx and in his duties presenting The One Show.

However, that plan is now in tatters after Jenas’ sacking by the BBC over allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

Lineker could, of course, stay on for as long as he wants but despite Jenas’ exile there are plenty of potential replacements to step into the Match of the Day hotseat.

Perhaps the favourite is Alex Scott, the former England and Arsenal defender, 39, who has become a mainstay across the Beeb as the host of Football Focus as well as daytime gameshow The Tournament.

Another regular presenter on the network’s sports coverage is Match of the Day 2 and 5 Live host Mark Chapman, 50, who has previously been tipped to move to Sky Sports having fronted their Carabao Cup broadcasts.

Gabby Logan, 51, has worked for the BBC for almost 20 years and covers a wide variety of sports. If the doubts over the Beeb’s rights to future Six Nations tournaments come to pass, that would certainly open up a gap in her diary.

Turn back the clock five years and Dan Walker would have been considered a genuine option to take over from Lineker but his departure to Channel 5 in 2022 has reduced those chances, unless both parties are willing for a somewhat risky reunion.

The BBC could always turn away from the concept of a professional presenter and stick a pundit in the hotseat (Scott is effectively the former these days). Alan Shearer probably doesn’t have the slickness required for the job but Micah Richards, Dion Dublin, Rio Ferdinand and Pat Nevin are smooth operators who could be in the running.

It can also not be ruled out that a favourite from a rival broadcaster is nabbed for the job, such as Mark Pougatch, Laura Woods or Kelly Cates - who splits her time between Sky and BBC Radio.