Harry Kane has hailed Thomas Tuchel as a ‘fantastic’ coach as the Football Association launch advanced discussions over the former Chelsea boss becoming the next England manager. The Three Lions captain expects to hold talks with FA chiefs during their search for Gareth Southgate's successor.

Tuchel has emerged as the strong favourite to become England's permanent head coach. Recent days have reportedly seen talks accelerated with the 51-year-old, who has been out of work since leaving Bayern Munich in May.

He finished a disappointing third with the Bavarians during his only full campaign in charge but he managed to get the best out of England star Kane. The 31-year-old forward scored 44 goals in 45 appearances under the German.

Asked about reports of the FA's interest in Tuchel, Kane said: "Until it's announced obviously I can't really comment, but we have to wait and see. Obviously, I know Thomas well from last year.

"Fantastic coach, fantastic person, so I am sure the guys at the FA will contact me, when they know more about it."

According to the Telegraph, Tuchel is understood to be interested in becoming the England manager. FA technical director John McDermott wants a manager with a proven track record of winning trophies, an advantage for Tuchel over other leading available candidates.

Tuchel won the Bundesliga with Bayern in 2022-23, having replaced Julian Nagelsmann earlier that campaign. He also lifted Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain and tasted Champions League, Club World Cup and Super Cup success during his time at Chelsea.

The FA are widely reported to be interested in appointing Pep Guardiola, but the Manchester City boss still has until the end of the season on his current contract. It was initially thought that Lee Carsley could stand a chance of winning the job full-time, having taken over as caretaker head coach following the departure of Southgate after Euro 2024.

Carsley has overseen three wins from four games but there was a concerning performance in a 2-1 defeat by Greece last week. That result leaves England likely needing to beat Greece and Ireland to stand a chance of winning promotion back to League A in the Nations League.

Former Everton midfielder Carsley, whose full-time role is as manager of the under-21s, has admitted that he has not formally applied for the senior position. Some reports have claimed that the 50-year-old does not want the job, potentially opening the path for the appointment of Tuchel or another candidate.