Southgate Dismisses England Exit Rumors

By Max Wise

England manager Gareth Southgate will not be making a return to club management anytime soon after he refused to be drawn into rumors linking him with a move to the Premier League including the Manchester United managerial position.

Southgate has seen his stock rise in recent months after leading the Three Lions to the semifinals of the World Cup for the first time in 28 years in Russia, whiles he also engineered England's qualification to the Nations League finals to be contested in Portugal next year.

The 48-year-old managed in the Premier League with Middlesbrough from 2006 until 2009 when they suffered relegation to the championship.

Southgate only signed a new four -year deal with England in October, and he has no plans of quitting the national team so soon.

"I think at the moment that's very easy: I don't have anything to consider," he told Sky Sports when asked about possible interest from club teams.

"We've just had our best year in about the last 28 years, we're in another semi-final next summer and I signed a new contract three months ago."

Manchester United sacked Jose Mourinho last week and replaced him club legend Ole Gunner Solkjaer on a caretaker role until they appoint a substantive manager at the end of the 2018/19 season.

Southgate’s name has been one of the managers being linked to the vacant Old Trafford seat, but the trainer has refused to be dragged in the speculations insisting he is proud of his current job at the English national team. 

"I'm incredibly proud to be the England manager and I have the opportunity to lead England into a European Championship where so many of the matches are at Wembley, so for me, it's a very simple situation at the moment."