Two favourites emerge to replace Gary Lineker as BBC Match of the Day host

Gary Lineker has been host of Match of the Day since 1999 (Image: BBC)

Speculation is mounting over who will take the reins from Gary Lineker as the face of BBC's Match of the Day, with his contract set to expire at season's end. Since 1999, Lineker has been synonymous with the premier football highlights show, but with his current deal running only until the close of this campaign, rumours are rife about his future.

The BBC has sought to quell the rumour mill regarding Lineker's tenure, with a spokesperson stating: "We have nothing to announce, and we have not agreed next steps with regard to his contract," emphasising that "He is under contract until the end of the season."

Amidst the growing conjecture, bookies at William Hill have thrown their hat into the ring, offering odds on potential successors for Lineker's coveted position. The betting suggests a two-horse race, with Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman neck-and-neck as frontrunners, both pegged at 5/2.

Logan, who was previously mooted as a possible replacement last summer, has been showcasing her presenting chops on Amazon Prime's Champions League broadcasts this term. Meanwhile, Chapman is no stranger to the Match of the Day brand, steering the ship for its sister show, Match of the Day 2, and also lending his expertise to Sky Sports' Carabao Cup presentations.

Micah Richards is next in the betting with 4/1 odds, with the former Manchester City defender already a regular guest on the show. Richards also works as a pundit for Sky Sports for the Premier League and CBS Sports' coverage of the Champions League.

Alexi Scott (5/1), Dion Dublin (6/1) and Clare Balding (7/1) are the next names in the betting to be Lineker's replacement. Scott currently hosts Football Focus for the BBC, while Balding worked as a host during the broadcaster's coverage of the Olympics in Paris earlier this summer.

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Two favourites emerge to replace Gary Lineker as BBC Match of the Day host

Two favourites emerge to replace Gary Lineker as BBC Match of the Day host

Two favourites emerge to replace Gary Lineker as BBC Match of the Day host

Two favourites emerge to replace Gary Lineker as BBC Match of the Day host

Two favourites emerge to replace Gary Lineker as BBC Match of the Day host