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Gareth Southgate Distances Himself from Man United Role
Speculation around Gareth Southgate and Man United has swirled in recent weeks and months, fuelled by upheaval at Old Trafford and the appointment of familiar faces behind the scenes. Yet the former England manager has now offered clarity. A return to the Premier League, and specifically to Manchester United, is not on his agenda.
Southgate stepped away from international football in July 2024, shortly after England’s defeat in the European Championship final. Since then, he has shifted his focus towards business projects and broadcasting, opting for a different pace of life after eight years at the helm of the national side.
No Appetite for Premier League Return
In a candid interview, Southgate made his position unmistakably clear. “I’ve got no passion to just go and manage in the Premier League,” he said on The Football Boardroom podcast.
His reasoning is rooted in perspective. “I did that at 35, I finished 11th, 12th. Who is in those positions now, probably Bournemouth, Brighton? I’ve had one of the biggest jobs in world football so I’ve been spoiled. Huge nights, working with outstanding players. No owner interfering.”
For a coach who guided England to two European Championship finals and a World Cup semi final, the daily grind of club football appears less compelling. The scale of the England role reshaped his professional expectations, and the autonomy it offered clearly left a mark.
Man United Links After Backroom Moves
The conversation intensified after Ruben Amorim’s departure from Manchester United last month. Michael Carrick has taken interim charge, supported by Steve Holland, Southgate’s long time assistant with England. That reunion prompted whispers that Southgate could follow.
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He has now dismissed that possibility.
“The bit that, externally, people are saying is, ‘well, he didn’t win’. So how do you prove that you can win? You’ve got to go to one of those big clubs,” he explained.
“Now we know those big clubs… do I think I could have done the job that some people who have been in those clubs recently have done? Could I do better? I think I could.
“But we’ve talked about the baggage that comes with me as an appointment if you’re an owner. And there’s a reality around that, I can understand what that noise is. There’s that bit which makes me potentially a complicated appointment for a club.”
Future Beyond Dugout
Southgate’s stance is not confined to Manchester United. “I don’t want to go and manage a different national team. Club? It’s honestly not what I’m looking to do.
“Now, two years after leaving England, I’m not actively looking for a role in coaching. If that European final was the bit in coaching I wouldn’t worry about that.
“Because there is another 15-20 years of my life ahead of me and I’m excited about a different video, a different movie, a different part of my life.”
For now, Gareth Southgate and Man United remain separate stories, linked only by speculation rather than intent.