Gary Neville’s plans for quitting punditry and what Sky Sports star sees happening

Gary Neville has declared he has no intention to call it quits anytime soon, insisting "I won't retire" from his bustling career. The Manchester United icon said goodbye to his illustrious playing career on February 2, 2011, after almost 20 years with the Red Devils.

Not long after, Neville pivoted to broadcasting, stepping into Andy Gray's shoes on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football for the 2011/12 season kickoff. By 2013, Neville was co-hosting the programme with Ed Chamberlin to great acclaim, establishing himself as a high-quality analyst of the beautiful game alongside Jamie Carragher, who arrived in 2015. The former defender further expanded his punditry career by launching 'The Overlap', a YouTube channel partnered with Sky Bet that features interviews, podcasts, and fan debates. Neville is renowned for his diligence on the air, which he has carried over from his days on the pitch to his diverse business ventures off it.

Given his array of activities and advancing years, questions about his plans for the future have naturally surfaced. In a conversation with Jill Scott during The Overlap podcast last year, Neville faced the question: does he envision retiring in the near future?

While punditry wasn't explicitly discussed, the thought of quitting work altogether didn't seem like an option for Neville. He said: "I won't retire, no. I won't retire. I'm a risk-taker. I invest in businesses and stuff."

Last month, Neville shared that his major pet peeve is: "People not working hard. Not turning up,working hard." So it appears he's intent on remaining active in some form. However, when asked about where he envisions himself in 10 years, the ex-footballer offered a joking yet perhaps revealing comment regarding his future on television.

He added: "Hopefully not sat in this chair answering these questions!" Indeed, Neville has started reducing his presence on Monday Night Football since the tail end of last year, choosing to concentrate on his 'Stick to Football' podcast and The Overlap US venture.

The pundit hasn't been seen on MNF since mid-August. During a chat with Rebecca Lowe on the Overlap US YouTube channel, he said: "So tomorrow, I'm expected to do set-pieces, whereas with Sky, on Monday Night Football, there are some set pieces which I prepare for - but now I don't do Monday Night Football anymore, I don't do set-pieces any more."

While Neville may still occasionally appear on the programme, it will now place greater emphasis on special guests rather than the longstanding partnership between Neville and Carragher. Aside from football, Neville operates an investment enterprise, Relentless, established in 2015.

This firm aids businesses from inception to expansion stages. His passion for property development also shines through in projects like the £200million St Michael's development in his home city of Manchester.

In addition to his illustrious football career, Neville co-founded University Academy 92 (UA92) alongside fellow Manchester United greats Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scoles and Nicky Butt. The institution aims to revolutionise higher education, making it more accessible for everyone.

In 2014, he joined forces with his former team-mates to acquire Salford City FC, propelling them from non-league to League Two. Recently, there have been calls for Neville to step away from punditry and his business ventures to take the reins at Manchester United.

Legendary broadcaster and Match of the Day host Des Lynam believes that the former Red Devils captain is the ideal candidate to steer the struggling team back to Premier League success, despite his infamous managerial stint at Valencia in Spain.

Lynam argues that Neville's influence in the dressing room and his ability to hold the United hierarchy accountable would be invaluable. The former presenter also suggested that Neville's business knowledge could prove beneficial.