GARETH SOUTHGATE is being offered a double-your-money £6million-a-year salary to extend his England contract.
However, the FA fear the Three Lions boss will not agree a new deal until after Qatar 2022 — and Southgate could even be tempted by a big Premier League club.
Full talks are set to start following the final two World Cup qualifiers, at home to Albania tonight followed by a trip to San Marino on Monday.
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham announced during the Euros he wanted Southgate to extend.
But the 51-year-old has been adamant that he will not discuss the offer until England have qualified.
The FA would be keen on another British manager if Southgate leaves — and Brighton’s Graham Potter is the obvious choice.
England skipper Harry Kane said: “I would love him to stay. But it will come down to him and the FA and his personal decision. We will see how that goes.
“He has been great and his record speaks for itself.
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“Semi-finals in the World Cup, final in the Euros — we are heading in the right direction.”
After starting on a wage of around £1.8m, Southgate was handed an increase to £3m a season after leading England to the semi-finals of the World Cup in Russia.
He took a one-off £1m pay cut last year due to the pandemic, when the FA were desperate to slash costs.
Previously, Fabio Capello was the highest-earning England boss on £6m a year.
Southgate is keen to test himself in Premier League management — 12 years after he was sacked from his only club job at Middlesbrough.
His advisers are now trying to persuade him to sign the FA’s deal, which would tie him to the job until the 2024 Euros in Germany.
But Southgate will have been in post for six years by the time the World Cup comes around — and may not wish to commit.
Southgate was asked yesterday whether the lack of English coaches made him indispensable.
He said: “One thing is for certain, I will never be indispensable! We want five or six English managers who could have this job in future.”
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