Alan Pardew has denied recent speculation that he could be set to take up his first job in English football, having not managed in the United Kingdom for over six years.

The 62-year-old’s last appointment in England ended when he was sacked as West Brom manager back in 2018. The Baggies had appointed Pardew in the hope that he could improve their poor form.

But across his four-month reign as their manager, the club again slumped to last in the Premier League – with Pardew winning just three games – two of which came in the FA Cup.

Prior to then, Pardew had spent the entirety of his managerial career operating at clubs in England, with Newcastle being the most notable. But it was after his exit from The Hawthorns that he’d move abroad, and was appointed by Netherlands side Ado Den Haag in 2019. Things wouldn’t go too well for the Englishman at the Dutch second-tier club either – with Pardew leaving after a meagre eight games in charge.

Since then, he has worked as CSKA-Sofia’s technical director and caretaker manager, before a brief spell managing Greek side Aris Aloniki between 2022 and 2023.

Pardew’s last managerial position came back in 2018 where he was sacked as West Brom boss

The ex-Newcastle manager subsequently moved abroad and hasn’t managed at an English club in over six years 

According to The Sun, Pardew who has now been out of work since February 2023, had been ‘in contact with Burnley over taking up the Championship side’s vacant managerial position’ following Vincent Kompany’s shock move to Bayern Munich.

It would be slightly ironic for Pardew to take charge of the Clarets, considering the last game he oversaw in England was West Brom’s 2-1 defeat by Burnley back in 2018 – a game that perhaps was the final nail in the coffin for his tenure at the Baggies.

But the former West Ham, Reading and Newcastle boss has since denied rumours that have suggested he could succeed Kompany – despite admitting that he would jump at an opportunity to take charge of the Championship side.

‘Well it obviously isn’t me. Otherwise, it would have been officially announced,’ he told talkSPORT’s Sam Matterface on Tuesday, when pressed on rumours over whether he could return to the UK to manage.

But it seems the 62-year-old is keen to return to manage in England.

He said: ‘It’s nice to be linked with them, if nothing else. I think the squad is good enough, the ownership is well organised and have got finances to – maybe they’re in a better position than Leicester were last year to rebound.

‘So I think whoever gets the job, it’s going to be a great opportunity.

‘For myself, it’s a great challenge that I would like to do because I’d like to take a team back to the Prem.

‘I did it, I set teams up to go back to the Prem. West Ham, Southampton. So yeah, I would be open to it.

Pardew had most recently managed Greek side Aris Aloniki but left the club in February 2023

He told talkSPORT that he would be interested in returning to manage a club in the English leagues

‘Whether that’s known, and that’s the rumour that’s gone out rather than the actual link, I don’t know.’

Pardew subsequently remained coy when pressed over whether Burnley had made contact with him, but seems eager to get back into management regardless.

The Englishman, who enjoyed spells with Crystal Palace, Charlton, Tottenham and Reading as a player, would perhaps be a good candidate to help Burnley return to the top-flight following their relegation to the Championship this season.

Pardew has achieved promotion three times in his career, once as a player with Palace, as Reading’s manager in 2002 and as West Ham boss in 2005.