Gareth Southgate breaks his silence on links with Manchester United and predicts Euro 2024 | Manchester Evening News

Gareth Southgate has said he is “totally relaxed” about his future despite rumors linking him with Manchester United after Euro 2024.

The England boss dismissed any suggestion of talks with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS hierarchy ahead of this summer’s tournament, even as Erik ten Hag’s future remains uncertain.

Southgate is believed to be highly regarded by the new decision-makers at Old Trafford and would be a top contender on any list of potential replacements for the Ten Hag. However, the 58-year-old reiterated his focus on the national team.

England are currently the bookies’ favorites for Euro 2024, with Southgate overseeing a talented squad including captain Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Declan Rice among others. These players understand that this could be their manager’s last chance to secure some silverware.

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Southgate’s contract is due to expire at the end of the year and while his future remains undecided, it is likely that the FA will push for a renewal regardless of the outcome of this summer’s tournament. A return to managing the club could be on the cards, but for now, Southgate is only considering the immediate future.

“When I was 23 as a player, I would have been worried about it,” he told GQ when asked about his future plans. “When I was 37 as a young manager, I would have been worried about that. But now I’m 53 and I’m completely relaxed because life will go on no matter what,” reports the Express, via GQ.

“Also, I don’t think it would be right to make a decision before a tournament. I remember Fabio (Capello) signed a new contract before (World Cup 2010) and everyone was like, ‘What the hell are they doing? to prove himself in the tournament.

“If I had two years of work, then maybe I would feel differently. But we have eight years and for me, all my attention is on one thing: how do I make this team win?”

Southgate’s current position could hamper his likelihood of making the switch from England to United, with INEOS unlikely to sit idly by until the end of the Euros if they plan to offload Ten Hag, whose fate remains to be seen to be resolved this week.

However, Southgate’s main concern will be steering England to European success, fully aware that any triumph could, unsurprisingly, be down to their diet.

“Food is important,” he explained, “There’s the refueling part, but it’s also social. It’s like my kids: whenever I’m with them, I want to eat together as much as we can because (there) you find out. how they really feel.

“That said, if you’ve ever been on a family holiday for any length of time, there are a lot of people who can get on each other’s nerves after a while, so we’re aware of that.”