Gary Neville has been lined up by Sky Sports to be the big-name pundit to fill the void created by the sacking of Andy Gray.
Manchester United’s former England defender Neville, who is due to retire from a glittering playing career at the end of this season, was already on the television network’s radar before the ‘Linogate’ scandal erupted this week.
It is understood that the 35-year-old will not be a like-for-like replacement for Gray.
Neville is viewed by Sky as another front-line pundit to work alongside or alternate with Jamie Redknapp, both having the experience of a modern football dressing room.
Career change: Gary Neville, pictured battling with Steve Pienaar in September, has already been approached by Sky about a possible presenting job
Career change: Gary Neville, pictured battling with Steve Pienaar in September, has already been approached by Sky about a possible presenting job
However, the opinionated Neville will be a controversial appointment, especially on
Merseyside with his well-documented dislike of Scousers, although former Anfield idol Redknapp, 37, can provide the counterbalance.
Sky made their move for Neville long before this week’s Gray-Keys controversy, with talks understood to have started last summer when it was expected that this would
be Neville’s last season as a player.
The full back, whose last three years in the game have been plagued by injury, has only made four first-team appearances this season — one as a substitute — making his decision to call it a day inevitable.
Neville, a multi-millionaire after a lucrative playing career, would not have been short of offers to consider along with the Sky proposal.
A coaching role at Old Trafford or a job with the Professional Footballers’ Association, where ‘Red Nev’ is also held in high esteem, were two other options.
Neville’s retirement will also ensure the publication next autumn of his long-awaited autobiography, which is sure to create considerable interest.
Publishers Transworld, responsible for the big-selling autobiographies of Jamie
Carragher and Steven Gerrard, won the race to publish it a year ago, in a deal Neville negotiated himself, insisting it would only come out when he had retired.
The book is bound to be controversial, such is Neville’s innate ability to stir things up.
Even his obscure Times of Malta column provoked a feud with Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez and his story, especially what he has to say about the footballers still playing, will add extra spice to his Sky work.
Neville, a one-club man, lies fifth on United’s all-time list with 602 appearances and was one of England’s greatest full backs, winning 85 caps.
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Gary Neville lined up to become new Sky Sports pundit | Mail Online
