Pep talk for England Guardiola is dream long shot for FA as it looks past Carsley

The Football Association has identified Pep Guardiola as its dream target but is not hopeful of securing a deal for the Manchester City manager, with Lee Carsley no longer under consideration to become England's permanent head coach.

- David Hytner, Jacob Steinberg

The FA included Guardiola on its shortlist at the beginning of a process to find a successor to Gareth Southgate and is understood to have contacted him at the start of the season to gauge his interest. Representatives of other candidates believe Guardiola is the top choice by far.

A deal would be difficult to close. Guardiola is out of contract next summer and said on Italian TV at the weekend that “anything can happen” in terms of his future but he would have to accept a significant wage cut to take the England job and will not be short of offers if he leaves City, who are desperate for him to stay.

The out-of-work Thomas Tuchel is another option, although he too would need to take a salary drop. He is believed to have reservations about the role. Eddie Howe and Graham Potter are the leading English candidates. Howe is focused on his work at Newcastle, where his contract has a release clause of about £5m. Potter is between jobs, having left Chelsea in April 2023; there is a feeling that he is leaning towards a return to club management.