Gary Lineker MOTD replacement: Wildcard appointment tipped as viewers make feelings clear | Football | Sport

Gary Lineker could be nearing the end of his days as Match of the Day presenter as his contract expires next summer. The 63-year-old has started talks with the BBC over a new deal, but could be replaced if the company decides to go in a different direction.

Speculation is rife over who could ultimately replace the former England striker in the hot seat.

And viewers of the show have indicated they want to see a wildcard appearance on the docket.

We asked Express Sport readers for their thoughts on the right person to succeed Lineker, who became Match of the Day presenter in 1999 following the takeover of Des Lynam.

Mark Chapman, who currently presents Match of the Day 2 on Sunday evenings, was the runaway leader of the poll after securing 23 per cent of the vote, followed by Gabby Logan with 11 per cent.

Former Aston Villa striker Dion Dublin received 8 percent of the vote, while ex-Manchester City defender Micah Richards secured a 7 percent share.

Alex Scott, Jermaine Jenas and Clare Balding each had less than 5 percent of the vote. But astonishingly, a whopping 40 percent of voters said they wanted someone else to fully handle presenting duties.

Lineker gained a huge following during his time at the BBC, but has made headlines in recent years for his outspoken views on social media.

Last year he was briefly suspended by the Beeb after comparing the government’s language at the launch of a new asylum policy to the language of the Nazi regime in Germany.

In early October, speculation arose over whether he might announce he was stepping down from his role, and it was even reported that the BBC had issued a statement announcing his shock exit. However, a BBC spokesperson later explained: “We have nothing to announce and we have not yet agreed the next steps regarding his contract. He has a contract until the end of the season.”

Lineker, who has scored 48 goals in 80 appearances for England, joked about the news at the start of last Saturday’s show when he told viewers: “Seven games in and it’s my last show… before the international break .”

And the Leicester fan then revealed during a chat with Alan Shearer and Micah Richards on The Rest Is Football podcast: “So it’s normal that at some point you have to have conversations, and they’re only just starting. So I don’t know why it all got out of hand, but…