Sam Allardyce has thrown his hat into U.S. Soccer’s most open ring.

The retired former England and Premier League manager addressed a rumor linking him to the vacant job as United States men’s soccer team coach, telling talkSPORT’s mid-morning show Wednesday he’s interested in succeeding Bruce Arena, who resigned in the aftermath of Team USA’s failure to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

“If I ever go back into football, an international position again might be of interest to me,” Allardyce said. “Whether that is the USA, who knows.

“If we got to that stage where we there was an interview, you would assess whether you have a chance of being successful with that national side and, if you do, is that a better challenge for me at this stage of my life?”

The Allardyce-to-USA rumor emerged Tuesday when sources close to the 63-year-old told ESPN’s Mark Ogden he might be keen on the job. His response to the report indicates he hasn’t had contact with the U.S. Soccer Federation in recent days but he also wouldn’t be against having talks over the position. He also dismissed speculation about taking over the vacant Leicester City manager’s position, following Craig Shakespeare’s firing Tuesday.

Allardyce now is the unofficial leader among foreign candidates for the job as U.S. Soccer coach. Ex-France boss Laurent Blanc also is “open” to the job, according France Football, but he hasn’t spoken publicly about it, as Allardyce has.

U.S. Soccer will name an interim coach in the coming weeks to lead the team in its November exhibition games. The federation will search for a permanent coach in the meantime.

Thumbnail photo via YouTube/FATV