Gareth Southgate brushes off reports of Man Utd interest

England manager Gareth Southgate refused to be drawn on speculation linking him with the Manchester United job.

It was reported earlier this week, shortly before United starlet Kobbie Mainoo was added to the England squad, that Southgate had emerged as Red Devils co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe's preferred replacement for current boss Erik ten Hag this summer.

Southgate is under contract with England until the end of this calendar year and recently revealed he has postponed all talks on his future until after Euro 2024, with his focus remaining solely on the tournament.

"I'm the England manager," he told a press conference on Friday when asked about the links to United. "I've got one job, to try and deliver a European championship.

"Plus, Manchester United have a manager and it's disrespectful to be talking about speculation. And I am president of the LMA [League Managers Association]. I don't have anything to say."

Ratcliffe recently stressed his desire to make changes to the structure of United's management team behind the scenes.

He told the Geraint Thomas Cycling Club podcast: "It's where you start. You need the right organisation and structure. In the old days of Sir Alex Ferguson he was the manager.

"Well, we don't have managers today, we have a coach. And a coach would normally report to a sporting director and a sporting director would report to the chief executive. Where do you put recruitment? Strategy? All that kind of stuff. You need to get your organisation right and then need to populate it with the people who are best in class."

Dan Ashworth, who has been placed on gardening leave by Newcastle United, is Ratcliffe's top target to become United's new sporting director. The 53-year-old has previously worked with Southgate during his time with the FA.

READ THE LATEST MAN UTD NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP