Manager Sir Jim Ratcliffe admires has given clear verdict amid Man Utd links - The Mirror

One of the possible for the Manchester United job has already made their stance clear

Gareth Southgate has already made it clear that he's not in a hurry to get back into football management. The ex-England manager has previously been linked with the Manchester United job and is once again among the rumoured contenders.

The 55-year-old guided the Three Lions to two European Championship finals during his nearly eight-year tenure. Since stepping down from his role following England's loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, Southgate has remained out of management.

United are on the hunt for a new head coach after parting ways with Ruben Amorim earlier this week, with plans to appoint an interim coach before announcing a permanent replacement in the summer. While Darren Fletcher is currently in caretaker charge, United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is a known admirer of Southgate's work with England.

The Daily Star reported that the Three Lions boss was the favourite to replace then-United manager Erik ten Hag in March 2024. It was suggested that Southgate was Ratcliffe's first choice, with incoming sporting director Dan Ashworth also a fan of the England manager.

When Amorim found himself under pressure earlier this season, Southgate was once again the subject of speculation. This led the former England boss to clarify his position on taking up a new role in November.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Southgate said: "I had an amazing time, obviously the great thing with England is that there's this higher purpose. I joined the FA to try and help English football become better, and to help youth development in particular.

"I somehow stumbled and ended up in the first-team manager's job and we had a pretty good period. I'm not desperate to stay in football. I've had 37 years in football which is amazing."

When questioned about whether he might reconsider if a major opportunity arose, he responded: "Well you can never say never because I've just seen Martin O'Neill at his age go to Celtic.

"But it's not something that's high on my agenda at the moment, I'm enjoying the work around leadership, I'm enjoying my work with young people, very determined to try and make a difference there. And so no, I'm very relaxed about not being in football at the moment."

In October, reports emerged suggesting Southgate would require time and patience from the United hierarchy should he accept the role. The club's senior figures have faced mounting criticism following Amorim's final comments as United manager.

Despite his impressive CV at international level, Southgate's experience as a Premier League manager remains limited. He previously managed Middlesbrough for three years, during which time the club suffered relegation to the Championship, before leaving in late 2009.

Southgate's next role was as England U21 manager in 2013, a position he held until he was appointed as the senior team manager in September 2016. This means that Southgate has not managed a club side since October 2009.

United legends Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick have held discussions about taking over as interim manager for the rest of the season. Meanwhile, Fletcher took the reins for his first match as caretaker boss on Wednesday, guiding United to a 2-2 draw against Burnley.

The 41-year-old, who is also being considered for the interim role, will get the opportunity to manage the team at Old Trafford this Sunday. United are poised to kick off their FA Cup campaign against Brighton, with the cup being the club's last realistic shot at securing a trophy this season.