Related items

• Gareth Southgate knows Euro 2024 must go ‘very, very well’ to keep England job

  Gareth Southgate knows next year’s Euros will have to go extremely well for it to be a “possibility in anybody’s eyes” for him to stay on as England manager.

  The 52-year-old was parachuted into the hotseat following Sam Allardyce’s ignominious exit in 2016 and has gone on to oversee the national team’s best spell since winning the World Cup.

  England reached the 2018 semi-finals before losing the delayed Euro 2020 final in an agonising penalty shoot-out defeat to Italy at Wembley.

  There were more signs of progress as the team were edged out by France at last year’s World Cup, but a challenging year meant Southgate had to weigh up whether to see out his contract until 2024.

  The England boss decided to stay on after a week of contemplation following Qatar, but next summer’s European Championship could prove his last finals in charge.

  “My contract is until the December,” Southgate said. “That was always put in place because it would allow everybody reflection time, really.”

  Asked if the Euros would be his last tournament, Southgate said: “Who knows?

  “I think we’ll have to go very, very well for that to be a possibility in anybody’s eyes and that’s fair enough. I’m more than comfortable with that.

  “My aim is to try and win the tournament and everything I do is geared around that and every conversation I have with the players now is geared around that.

  “So, what will happen in the future at the moment it isn’t at the forefront of my mind, but trying to win this European Championship is.”

  England are third favourites with the bookmakers to triumph in Germany next year, and that is all the manager is focused on right now.

  ‘Succession’ is a buzzword thanks to the popular US TV series, but Southgate has not seen the show and was unwilling to talk about potential candidates for a job he cares deeply about.

  “Whatever (input) John (McDermott, Football Association technical director) and everybody else at the FA would like, really,” he said.

  “I’m not precious about it. If I could help in any way, at whatever point. I try to do that now with involvement in the pro licence, with reaching out to English coaches.

  “We’ve had people in to have the odd day here and there with us at training.

  “That’s not my decision but I’d always help English football as much as I can.

  “At whatever point I leave here, hopefully we’ve won something, but if I’m the second most successful I’ll be more than happy to become third very quickly.

  “I joined here to help English football and that will never change for me.”

  England’s immediate focus is taking a giant stride towards Germany by beating Malta and North Macedonia in June, but for a number of players their future is up in the air.

  Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham are subject of widespread speculation, while a lack of game-time is an issue for Southgate’s favourites Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips.

  “There’s potentially a lot of movement with that squad we’ve picked across the summer, but I think it will be later in the summer,” the England boss said.

  “It doesn’t worry me how it plays out. I think as a player you always back yourself. You’ve got to.

  “You’ve got to have the mentality that ‘wherever I go I’m going to force my way into the team’ until such point as which it becomes apparent where ‘maybe I’ve got to go’.

  “And maybe we’ve got a couple in the squad who’ve got that decision to go through in their own minds this summer.”

  That self-confidence has paid dividends for Jack Grealish, who struggled to make the desired impact in his first season at Manchester City.

  But the 27-year-old has come on leaps and bounds this term under Pep Guardiola, who Southgate considers the best coach in the world.

  “I’m a huge admirer,” the England boss said. “He knows that, I’ve told him.

  “Of course it’s been brilliant for our players to work with him and they have learned individually, tactically and, probably as much as anything, that mentality.

  “You mention Jack, he’s played properly, I would say, in this period. You know, against Real Madrid with and without the ball.

  “That wasn’t the case two-and-a-half years ago, if I’m honest, so there’s been a lot of progress.”

• Neymar 'has a place in any team' amid Man Utd links, says former team-mate Willian

  Neymar's former Brazil team-mate Willian believes the forward could star for any team in world football, as he continues to be linked with a move to Manchester United.

  Neymar has endured a frustrating spell with Paris Saint-Germain since leaving Barcelona in 2017, failing to win the Champions League and never playing more than 22 games in a single Ligue 1 campaign.

  The 31-year-old was ruled out for the remainder of the season with an ankle injury in March, leaving him to watch PSG's Champions League round-of-16 exit against Bayern Munich from the sidelines. 

  With PSG falling short of continental glory once again, both Neymar and fellow attacker Lionel Messi have been linked with a move at the end of the season.

  Old Trafford has been suggested as a potential destination for the Brazil star after United clinched a return to the Champions League, and Willian believes he would thrive in England.

  "Neymar, with the quality he has, performs anywhere," the Fulham winger told Stats Perform. 

  "Wherever he goes in the world, he can easily perform with the quality he has, the talent he has. 

  "It would be really cool to see him playing in the Premier League. Wherever he goes, he has the necessary quality to be able to enjoy and play the beautiful football he knows.

  "He has a place in any team in the world for his quality. You only need to know if he wants to go to United. 

  "It's a great club. For sure, if he goes there, he will be in a huge club. It's a club that has won many titles here, it's considered one of the biggest clubs in England along with Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, all big clubs. 

  "If he comes to England, no doubt it would be great to see him in the Premier League."

  While Neymar could become the latest Selecao star to grace the English top flight, his fellow Brazilian Roberto Firmino will seek pastures new after he plays his final game for Liverpool on Sunday.

  Asked about Firmino's impact on the Premier League, Willian said: "He made history here. He's a player that I'm a big fan of, he's a star player for me. 

  "He made history at Liverpool and won important titles. He is respected not only by Liverpool fans, but he is highly respected here in England. He leaves a legacy here. 

  "I don't know if he'll stay in England, but if he leaves, he'll leave a huge legacy of what he did."

  Willian was also asked about the performances of Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka, who signed a new long-term contract with the Gunners earlier this week following an outstanding campaign.

  "He has the potential to be a great player, he has a lot of talent," Willian said of his fellow wideman.

  "He's a player who has all the conditions to keep evolving, being one of Arsenal's big names and, consequently, fighting to be one of the best players in the league, without a doubt."

• Graham Alexander keen to bring success to MK Dons after landing head coach role

  MK Dons have appointed Graham Alexander as their new head coach.

  The 51-year-old former Fleetwood, Scunthorpe, Salford and Motherwell manager replaces Mark Jackson, who was sacked earlier this month after the club were relegated to Sky Bet League Two.

  Alexander, who will be assisted by ex-Bury boss Chris Lucketti, told the Dons’ official website: “I’m grateful to the club for showing faith in me and providing me with this fantastic opportunity.

  “This is, of course, a club with great potential, though we know we need to win on the pitch to justify everything we’ve got off it – that’s what me and Chris are here to do.

  “That will require a lot of hard work but we are both committed and driven to try and bring success to MK Dons.”

  Former Preston, Burnley and Scotland defender Alexander left Motherwell by mutual consent last summer after their Europa Conference League exit.

  He has twice won promotion as a manager with previous clubs Fleetwood and Salford.

  Dons chairman Pete Winkelman added: “This is a start of a new chapter for us.

  “Graham ticked all the boxes for us following a lengthy and thorough process, and he brings with him the football experience and success, both as a player and as a manager, that we demanded of our next head coach.”