Real Madrid’s European Cup-winning assistant coach Paul Clement admits that it will soon be time for him to leave and build a career of his own. Although he has not set a date to move on and described Madrid as a difficult place to leave, the 42-year-old Englishman, who began his coaching career at Chelsea’s academy while still a PE teacher, said that his likely destination would be England but that he would consider working abroad.

Clement also revealed that there have already been offers to take over teams on his own, but hinted that he will begin at a significantly lower level than the last three clubs at which he has worked – Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.

Clement has already been linked with the manager’s position at Brighton and Hove Albion following Oscar García’s resignation, while the West Bromwich Albion job could also appeal. Asked if it was time to take the step up after four years coaching under Carlo Ancelotti in England, France and Spain, Clement responded: “I think it’s soon, it will be soon. Will it be England? I don’t rule out anything. More than likely in England, although if a nice opportunity came up in another country I wouldn’t rule it out. I’ve enjoyed working in France and Spain as well.”

Speaking after Madrid defeated city rivals Atlético 4-1 in the European Cup final in Lisbon to clinch their 10th European Cup, Clement said: “A few opportunities have come my way, but this is a difficult place to leave: it’s a great club, a great city, a great tradition and it gives you the opportunity to win. It’s nice that I’ll always be part of the ‘10th’ too.”

“Carlo has given me a lot of confidence in me and given me the belief that one day I can do it, but he hasn’t kicked me out of the door yet,” he said, joking: “It will be difficult [to take players with me] from here. I’m not sure the salaries will work out where I’m going.”

It is almost 30 years since an English manager took a team into the European Cup final – Joe Fagan in 1985 with Liverpool – but Clement was on the bench as Madrid took their 10th continental title after a dramatic 93rd-minute goal from Sergio Ramos equalised Diego Godín’s early strike to take the game into extra time, where Madrid eventually won 4-1.

“All through the game I was nervous,” he admitted afterwards. “The clock seemed to go so quickly in the second half. Every time I looked at it, it seemed as if it had shot forward 10 minutes, and you start to worry towards the end.

“You do not lose belief, but you do start to worry. As soon as it goes into time added on, you’re not sure it’s going to happen. But five minutes [extra] is a long time in football and I thought that it was fair because there was a lot of stopping in the play.

“That little moment of quality, a good cross and a fantastic finish from Ramos, who was outstanding, did it. We made positive changes. We were 1-0 down and the clock was going quick. Marcelo is a more attacking full-back than Coentrão, Isco is an attacking midfielder and then Morata, a striker.”

Clement said that Ramos’s goal changed the mindset of the players and coaches, as well as the scoreline. He explained: “As soon as the final whistle went [after Ramos’s equaliser] I said: ‘we’ve got to start playing again now,’ because we’d been really pushing, really attacking, and we had been a bit vulnerable at the back. There was a danger of being hit on the counter and if it had gone 2-0 it was over, so we had to start playing again, keep our positions and be more patient.

“Psychologically we had an advantage, without question, but there were still 30 minutes to play and possibly penalties. I’d written the list of the penalty takers. We were prepared for them: you have to prepare for all eventualities,” Clement continued. And then, smiling, he added: “But I’ll keep the names to myself.”