How future England interim boss Lee Carsley ‘was nearly signed by Real Madrid’

LEE CARSLEY is the England Under-21 manager and future interim boss who was centre to a wild Real Madrid transfer rumour.

The FA's search for a successor to Gareth Southgate is underway after he left his position following 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.

With deliberation ongoing, Carsley could take over temporarily like Southgate did in 2016 following Sam Allardyce's infamous resignation.

As a coach, he has worked with Coventry City, Brentford, Manchester City, Birmingham and England U21s - winning the Euros in 2023.

During his playing career, Carsley was at Derby, Blackburn, Coventry, Everton and Birmingham.

He retired with Coventry but made his name as a talented midfielder during his six seasons with Everton.

His partner on the pitch was Thomas Gravesen, who in 2005 made a shock move to Real Madrid from Goodison Park.

Gravesen lasted just a season in the Spanish capital and questioned marks were raised over his £2.5million transfer.

And the old legend goes that Madrid accidentally signed the WRONG bald Everton midfielder and were actually interested in Carsley.

David Moyes, Toffees boss at the time, even added fuel to the fire himself speaking on the Open Goal series in 2018.

Moyes said: "Everybody used to get him mixed up with Lee Carsley, so when Real Madrid came in for him at Everton, we were saying, ‘Have they got the right one?

"Is it Carsley the one or is it Tommy Gravesen? The two baldies and whatnot."

Gravesen made 49 Madrid appearances before leaving to join Celtic.

By that time, Carsley was still at Everton before his playing career came to an end in 2011 - paving the way to start coaching just a year later.

The rumour that Madrid mistakenly missed out on signing Carsley followed him even into the dugout.

But the man himself put the myth to bed when probed by FourFourTwo in 2023.

Carsley said: "It’s a great story, but anyone who believes a rumour like that couldn’t have watched us play that season: we look quite similar, but Thomas was so much better at football than me.

"He could dribble and create chances for others. I was better at the things he wasn’t good at, like tackling and tracking runners.

"The funniest thing about him moving to Real Madrid was seeing him wearing his Everton club suit and tie when he attended his first press conference in Spain!"

Carsley is now an outsider to take the England job on a full-time basis.

Southgate had initially turned the role down when the FA came knocking in the aftermath of Roy Hodgson's sacking.

But after Allardyce left under a cloud of controversy, familiar face Southgate agreed to step in.

After a run of four unbeaten games, he accepted the job and managed England in four major tournaments.

It included a semi-final in the 2018 World Cup and two Euros finals which ended in shootout loss to Italy in 2021 and then defeat to Spain.

Graham Potter - who has not managed since being sacked by Chelsea in 2023 - and Newcastle's Eddie Howe are early frontrunners to replace Southgate.

Out-of-work pair Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino are also available and ready for talks.

But maybe, England's answer is a lot closer to home in Carsley.