Transfer insider Dean Jones has claimed England manager Gareth Southgate could be an outside candidate for the vacant Tottenham Hotspur manager’s job, as Daniel Levy looks to find a permanent replacement for Jose Mourinho, who was sacked in April.
Southgate, who has managed England since he took over from Sam Allardyce in 2016, has a contract with England until the 2022 World Cup.
So far, he’s enjoyed great success with England during his first tournament in 2018, as he helped the Three Lions reach their first World Cup semi-final since 1990.
Jones believes that there are numerous factors that make Southgate a perfect fit for Spurs, including his relationship with captain Harry Kane.
Speaking on The Football Terrace YouTube channel, Jones had this to say on Tottenham’s search for a new manager:
“I’m hearing things like Gareth Southgate [could be in the running]. I heard that quite early on, actually, when the job opened up, it was like look out for Southgate, just as a left-field one, like he’s not favourite or anything like that, but there’s a possibility after this tournament for England that he’s done a World Cup, he’s done a Euros. Let’s face it, Qatar is not going to be an easy tournament for England, is it? He might fancy a change.
“He’s got a very, very close relationship with Harry Kane. Tottenham are looking for a manager. They do like Gareth Southgate and there’s a small chance that pieces fall into place there.”
TIF Thoughts on Gareth Southgate’s future…
It could be another huge decision for Levy to make if he is to consider appointing Southgate after this summer’s European Championships. Southgate hasn’t managed at club level since his stint with Middlesbrough came to an end in 2009.
With England able to boast, arguably, one of their most exciting sides in years with the likes of Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Mason Mount, there is a belief amongst some that England could go one step further than they did in 2018 and reach the final of a major international tournament, meaning Levy could be watching from afar this summer as he could weigh up whether to approach the 50-year-old.
Having said that, if England produce a disappointing display this summer on home soil, the FA’s hierarchy could decide the time is right to depart with Southgate as they look to build towards the Qatar World Cup in the winter of 2022.