Gareth Southgate has reportedly been offered an eye-watering £6million a year – DOUBLE his current salary – to sign a contract extension and continue as the England manager.

The FA are huge fans of the 51-year-old and are desperate to keep him in charge of the men’s senior team beyond Qatar 2022, and are now set to make him a big-money offer.

The Sun report that the FA are so worried he will leave to take a Premier League job after next year’s World Cup that they will offer him double his current salary to extend his deal.

Full talks are expected to begin after the current international break, in which the Three Lions face Albania and San Marino in World Cup qualifiers.

Southgate has enjoyed a hugely successful five years in charge of England, taking them to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and then the final of the rescheduled Euro 2020 in the summer.

Despite defeat to Italy on penalties in the Wembley showdown, there have been bright signs and the FA are keen to tie him down to longer in a bid to secure a trophy in the coming years.

Speaking during the Euros in the summer, FA chief Mark Bullingdon was effusive in his praise of Southgate, admitting he wanted him to stay beyond the World Cup – but that talks would only begin once qualification for the tournament was secure.

That would make him the joint-highest earning England manager ever, with Fabio Capello also earning £6m a year when he was in charge of the team.

Southgate, meanwhile, is reportedly keen on taking a job in the Premier League at some point in the coming years, and his stock is currently very high following his success with the England team.

He last managed in the top flight with Middlesbrough 12 years ago, immediately after his playing career came to an end, initially taking them to a 12th-placed finish before they were relegated in 2008-2009.