Gary Lineker has further rubbished claims that he is imminently leaving Match of the Day by saying his BBC contract talks have just begun.
Reports last week threw the 63-year-old’s future into doubt by claiming to reveal a leaked email from BBC Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski outlining the plan for Lineker’s departure after last Saturday’s show.
The former England and Leicester striker is in the final year of his contract with Match of the Day, where he is currently paid £1.35m per year.
And on Saturday evening’s show, he joked that: “This is my final show… before the international break”.
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast to Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, Lineker said: “It’s been a strange few days.
“As you know, like Trent, like Virgil, like Mo, I’m coming to the end of my contract in the summer. It’s natural at some point that you have to have conversations and they’ve just started.
“I don’t know why it all spiralled out of control, but all is OK. I believe you’re in a similar predicament, you too as well. Perhaps you’ll have the Daily Mail on your doorstep tomorrow.
“Now that they know that. I’m more concerned actually about my cold. I started feeling not very well on the way home last night. Terrible throat and phlegmy and yuck.”
