Carling Cup holders Man United head across town to Eastlands as Man City await in the Carling Cup semi-final 1st leg. Get all the BestPrice betting here.

Laurent Blanc has played down reports linking him with the France job or succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

Having led Bordeaux to the French title last season and followed that up with progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League, Blanc has been linked with a number of top jobs.

However, Blanc looks set to remain loyal to Bordeaux.

“I signed a contract with Bordeaux for two more years so there is no urgency regarding my future,” he told Europe 1.

“I have not received any approaches either from the federation or from abroad. Just because I have strong links with Ferguson, he’s not going to come up to me and say ‘Hey, here you go Laurent, I’ve saved a place for you’.”

However Blanc admitted that he could easily turn down the France job if he was offered it.

“It would please me, that’s obvious,” he added. “But I could also refuse it. Contractually I’m not free. Don’t forget I have an employer.

“But if they offer it to me, I would think about it of course. But the problem they will have is with dates.

“The World Cup final is on July 11, unless they take a coach who’s free, everyone else will be right in the middle of preparing for the new season and I don’t see a coach giving all that up.

“For me anyway it would be difficult.”

Carling Cup holders Man United head across town to Eastlands as Man City await in the Carling Cup semi-final 1st leg. Get all the BestPrice betting here.

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