Why Manchester United and Gareth Southgate should look to avoid this summer

The list of names related to the leadership role in Manchester United is expanding day by day and the last to be added to this list is Gareth Southgate.

The English manager is currently badessed as a potential candidate to replace acting manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford but, if Southgate were to take the position, that would end up being the bad gesture for all the parties involved.

Manchester United is in a delicate position and, after the three successors of Alex Ferguson failed to emulate the previous achievements of the legendary manager, the importance of United's next appointment can only be under estimated.

Hierarchy at United seems to have identified Tottenham's director, Mauricio Pochettino, as the main target. Despite his lack of silverware at Spurs, this interest is justified. He is young, tactically clever and has extensive experience in Premier League management at a major club.

This last point is absolutely crucial. Although Southgate's coaching prowess is not questionable, his only senior management experience was in Middlesbrough – which he eventually guided to relegation in 2009.

United will also want to avoid reducing its list of candidates too quickly. Everyone knows that Pochettino is their number one target and, with big names such as Zinedine Zidane and Mbadimilliano Allegri also mentionedit does not take an expert to infer that Southgate is at the bottom of the list.

It just would not be in United's interest to choose someone who is not one of his immediate choices. This will give the impression that the club is happy to adapt to that right, and this will not please fans of United, who get tired of the mismanagement of the club.

As for Southgate, this is not the time to end his term with England. While the Three Lions course to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals was somewhat lucky, it seems like the tournament was the beginning of something much bigger.

England could not really be in a stronger position right now. They have the necessary talent at their disposal to continue to grow and the current team has seamlessly fused – thanks in large part to Southgate's impressive men's management.

It created the kind of club mentality that was sorely lacking in recent years, and while the older generation was slowly giving in to such promising talents as Jadon Sancho and James Maddison, it's clear that Southgate's England is starting to generate real momentum.

He recently won a new contract, which will last until the 2022 World Cup, it will be the most natural and wise moment to review his future options.

It's not as if it would be Southgate's one and only opportunity to take over in an elite club. If he succeeds more with England, his stock will only increase and his options are likely to widen.

Southgate may end up in the United's hot seat in the distant future. But the moment is far from coming – for both United and the man himself.