Alan Shearer ‘signs new BBC deal’ days after Gary Lineker’s MOTD exit and it may rule out potential replacement
ALAN SHEARER has reportedly signed a new deal with the BBC following Gary Lineker’s bombshell announcement.
The Match of the Day presenter will be stepping down after two decades in the role.
Alan Shearer has reportedly signed a new deal with the BBC[/caption]
Gary Lineker is leaving Match of the Day[/caption]
Lineker, 63, will leave the flagship show at the end of the season but will present coverage of the FA Cup in 2025/26 and the World Cup in 2026.
However, it appears that Shearer will be staying on the show for the foreseeable future.
The Daily Mail have claimed that Shearer has put pen to paper to continue on MOTD.
It is suggested that the deal will keep the Newcastle legend on the panel as one of the “key on-screen experts”.
BBC figures released in the summer revealed that Shearer pocketed £380,000 last year.
However, this figure was down from the £445,000 the prior year.
The report claims that the 54-year-old took a reduced paycheck as the BBC cut their costs.
The all-time Premier League goalscorer started working on the show back in 2006.
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It is also suggested that the broadcaster and Shearer have been in negotiations for some time.
It says that the two parties were talking before Lineker decided to leave after 26 years.
The pair will continue to work together on The Rest Is Football podcast.
Shearer has made a public statement over his future on MOTD.
He joked that he would also not be signing a new contract if pundit Micah Richards was named as the host.
He joked: “That is a f***ing massive concern by the way.
“I’m not signing my new contract if you’re a presenter by the way.”
Paul Gascoigne claimed that Shearer would make a good host for the show simply because he “loves a bit of money”.
Mark Chapman is one of the favourites to be named the new host of the show.
However, it is believed that he has refused the chance to share the job with Kelly Somers.
Who could replace Gary Lineker as MOTD host?
GARY LINEKER dropped the shock news that he is QUITTING Match of the Day.
The popular presenter, 63, took over hosting duties on the flagship BBC programme from Des Lynam in 1999.
But after more than 25 years in the studio hotseat, he has called time on his MOTD gig.
But as part of a huge shake-up, the BBC is considering rotating the presenters on a weekly basis.
So with Lineker vacating the chair, new names will step into his giant boots. But who could they be?
MARK CHAPMAN
Chapman, 51, is the obvious early favourite to follow on from Lineker as MOTD presenter.
He already has the gig as MOTD2 host on a Sunday night plus landed the presenting job for the new BBC Champions League highlights show.
ALEX SCOTT
Scott gets the nod from the Beeb bosses when Lineker is away.
The former right-back, 40, is used to presenting the Saturday night show as well as live match coverage – plus ticks the box as a former England international.
GABBY LOGAN
Like Scott, Logan, 51, is one of the understudies to step in when Lineker is not available.
She has done most gigs since joining the BBC in 2007, including Olympics, Sports Personality of the Year and Final Score.
MICAH RICHARDS
Lineker’s top pick to replace him is exuberant former Man City defender Richards.
The departing host told his close pal, 36, on their Stick to Football podcast: “I’d love to see you take over Micah, I think you’d be brilliant in the chair.”
JASON MOHAMMAD
Mohammad could earn the “promotion” from Final Score to Match of the Day.
The 51-year-old Welshman – who took over from Logan in 2013 – is one of the BBC’s top earners already and is more senior than fellow Final Score and BBC Sport broadcaster Kelly Somers, who could in theory become the main live host for the afternoon slot.
JEFF STELLING
He couldn’t, could he? While Lineker has been the face of Saturday night TV for football fans for years, the face of the afternoons was Stelling in his role as Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday presenter.
He would bring plenty of on-screen charisma, wit and legendary TV expertise – but at nearly 70 and currently with talkSPORT, the Hartlepool fan would not be a cheap or long-term appointment.
