Gary Lineker's Match of the Day replacement named after 'riling BBC chiefs'

Jermaine Jenas is being touted as the prime candidate to replace Gary Lineker on Match of the Day - should he choose to step down from his long-standing role.

Lineker has been steering the ship of the BBC's highly viewed Premier League highlights show every Saturday night for more than two decades. However, insiders are forecasting an impending departure, either when his contract runs out or even before then.

Over the past month, Lineker was the primary anchor on the BBC coverage of Euro 2024 , although some viewers contended that his colleagues Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman outshone him when they were given the opportunity to lead matches.

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As relayed by football.london , Fair Betting Sites has put odds of 8/11 on Lineker stepping down from his Match of the Day role, with former Newcastle player Jermaine Jenas as the favorite to take over. Jenas, who has been one of the regular hosts of The One Show over the last few years, as well as being a football pundit, leads the pack on 6/4, with another existing BBC star, former Lionesses hero Alex Scott, currently second in the odds.

Scott is on 7/2, just ahead of Mark Chapman after his impressive stint at the Euros, with ITV's Laura Woods, rounding out the top five on 10/1, ahead of the likes of Gabby Logan and Jake Humphrey.

Fair Betting Sites spokesperson Andy Newton chimed in on the Gary Lineker and Match of the Day situation, saying: "His criticism of Gareth Southgate at the Euros is the latest action to have reportedly riled the BBC and you feel with strained tensions the corporation are closer than ever to replacing Lineker as MOTD host."

He added: "With 25 years at the MOTD helm Lineker's boots will be big ones to fill, but another former Spurs player Jermaine Jenas has impressed in his One Show presenting role for the BBC and it's no shock to see him shortest in the betting to land one of the best presenting football jobs in the land."

Liverpool.com says: There's a reason why Lineker has hosted Match of the Day for more than two decades - he's brilliant at it. Let's hope he doesn't step down in the near future.