Guardiola set to reject USA job as England remains his long-term ambition

Pep Guardiola is set to decline an approach from US Soccer to replace Mauricio Pochettino, with the former Manchester City manager prioritising a sabbatical and keeping his sights fixed on the England job.

Pochettino’s move to Manchester United has left the United States without a head coach, and Guardiola is understood to be at the top of US Soccer’s wishlist. However, according to reports from the Telegraph, Guardiola intends to turn down any formal approach, having told those close to him that he wants a full year out of management after a decade at the Etihad Stadium.

Guardiola’s affection for the United States is well documented — he spent a previous break from management living in New York — but his ambitions in international football appear firmly pointed elsewhere. “I would love to be in a World Cup, in a Euro, a Copa America as a manager,” he said last year, and it is the England role that he has reportedly identified as his ultimate goal. The Daily Mail reported over the summer that Guardiola told friends the Three Lions job is the one he wants.

The Football Association did explore Guardiola’s availability before appointing Thomas Tuchel, who holds a contract through to the end of Euro 2028. That timeline means Guardiola would either need to wait or take an interim club role before any England opportunity materialises.

Tuchel’s position has come under scrutiny following England’s World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, though he steadied the ship with a strong Nations League group-stage campaign to reach the quarter-finals. Pressure will intensify heading into the next European Championship, with the majority of matches scheduled to be played on English soil — a tournament many regard as England’s best chance of ending a trophy drought stretching back to 1966.

Guardiola has previously been linked with the Italy job, which ultimately went to Roberto Mancini, and the Brazil role, currently held by Carlo Ancelotti, underscoring his standing as one of the most coveted coaches in world football.

Any future appointment would not be without controversy. Manchester City were found guilty of breaching 114 Premier League financial rules during Guardiola’s tenure, a verdict the club have appealed while continuing to deny any wrongdoing. The outcome of that appeal, and any potential sanctions, remains unresolved.

On the pitch, City will look to end a run of three consecutive league defeats when they host Fulham on Saturday.