Former England manager Gareth Southgate has submitted an application to become Poland's new head coach, according to sensational reports emerging from Polish media.
The 54-year-old, who stepped down from his England role last July following the Three Lions' defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, has supposedly set his sights on the vacant position with the Polish national team.
Polish daily newspaper Przeglad Sportowy reports that Southgate has not only applied for the role but has also "personally expressed his desire to take over" the position.
The vacancy arose after Michal Probierz resigned from his post earlier this week following a highly publicised dispute with Poland's star player Robert Lewandowski.
Former England manager Gareth Southgate has submitted an application to become Poland's new head coach
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The controversy that led to Probierz's departure centred on his decision to strip Lewandowski of the captaincy, prompting an extraordinary response from Poland's record goalscorer.
Lewandowski, who has netted 85 goals in 158 appearances for his country, declared he would refuse to play for Poland whilst Probierz remained in charge.
The situation reached its conclusion when Probierz tendered his resignation following Poland's 2-1 defeat to Finland in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.
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Michal Probierz quit as Poland manager amid a row over Robert Lewandowski
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His departure came just days after the public fallout with Lewandowski, leaving the Polish Football Association searching for a new manager to lead their World Cup qualifying campaign.
The Polish newspaper's report has been met with surprise given Southgate's previous stance on returning to management.
Following his departure from the England setup, Southgate was linked with the Manchester United position in October when Erik ten Hag's future was uncertain.
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However, he swiftly dismissed the possibility of an immediate return to football management, stating he was in "no rush" to find his next role.
The Polish media's coverage of Southgate has been notably positive, highlighting his achievement in leading England to consecutive European Championship finals.
His application, if confirmed, would mark a significant shift from his earlier position of taking time away from the game.
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Southgate's tenure with England saw him guide the national team to their most successful period in decades, reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia before falling to eventual runners-up Croatia.
He notably helped England overcome their penalty shootout curse during that tournament, defeating Colombia on spot-kicks in the round of 16.
Gareth Southgate left his position as England manager after Euro 2024 last summer
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The Three Lions reached another semi-final at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar under his leadership, narrowly losing 2-1 to France.
His eight-year spell concluded after back-to-back European Championship finals, though both ended in defeat - a penalty shootout loss to Italy at Wembley in 2021 and last summer's loss to Spain.
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