Lee Carsley would be considered as a contender to replace Gareth Southgate as England manager, talkSPORT understands.
The FA have drawn up a contingency plan in the event Southgate leaves at the end of Euro 2024 as he has strongly hinted.
Carsley is held in high regard after leading the under-21s to Euro glory last summer and he turned down the Republic of Ireland job earlier this year.
Other candidates would include the out-of-work Graham Potter and Newcastle boss Eddie Howe with the FA’s preference to appoint homegrown talent.
The FA insist they have not spoken to any potential successors and their desire is for Southgate to lead England to the next World Cup in 2026.
The chances of that are looking increasingly remote, with the 53-year-old coming under intense pressure for England’s Euro 2024 performances.
The Three Lions qualified for the knockout stages of the Germany tournament, but did so in drab circumstances, only recording a win and two draws in a group with teams relatively low in the FIFA rankings.
Southgate took the brunt of the criticism for a 0-0 draw against Slovenia and even had to deal with some England fans throwing empty plastic beer glasses towards him post-match in Cologne.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, Southgate said of his future: “If we don’t win, I probably won’t be here any more. So maybe it is the last chance.
“I think around half the national coaches leave after a tournament — that’s the nature of international football.
“I’ve been here almost eight years now and we’ve come close. You can’t constantly put yourself in front of the public and say, ‘A little more please’, as at some point people lose faith.
“If we want to be a great team and I want to be a top coach, you must deliver in big moments.”
More to follow.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
