Man United’s stance on 44-year-old manager revealed

England face five-time World Cup winners Brazil in a friendly at Wembley on Saturday evening. 

The game is the Three Lions’ penultimate fixture before manager Gareth Southgate names his squad for the upcoming European Championships in Germany.

Southgate could use the fixture to afford a number of fringe players opportunities to impress, including the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Cole Palmer and Ezri Konsa.

The former Middlesbrough boss has been linked with the managerial job at Manchester United in recent weeks, but according to Football Insider he isn’t top of the Red Devils’ shortlist of targets.

The report claims that, while those in charge of United have considered Southgate as a potential successor to Erik ten Hag, the Englishman isn’t top of their list.

Southgate will lead England at the Euros this summer

Ten Hag took charge of United in 2022 and won the Carabao Cup in his first season at Old Trafford.

He has also guided his side to the semi-finals of the FA Cup this term, and reached the final of the competition last season before being beaten by rivals Manchester City in the final.

Since Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS completed a partial takeover of United last month, speculation that Ten Hag could be sacked this summer has been rife.

United currently sit sixth in the Premier League table, and they look unlikely to qualify for the Champions League next term.

Southgate, meanwhile, took charge of England in 2016 shortly after a dismal European Championship campaign under Roy Hodgson.

He has guided the Three Lions to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, as well as reaching the final of Euro 2020.

It has been suggested that the ex-England player will leave his role after the upcoming tournament, regardless of how successful his side are.