Will Mark Carney and George Osborne vie for the top IMF job?

The BoE governor stands more chance than the ex-chancellor but the likely choice may just be a Bulgarian woman

Ever since he set his departure date from the Bank of England, there has been speculation about what Mark Carney will do next. There are not that many bigger jobs around than his current one but one of them has become available after the news of Christine Lagarde's planned departure from the International Monetary Fund for the European Central Bank.

Carney would certainly like a move to Washington, not least because the other job he has had his eye on - prime minister of Canada - is currently occupied by Justin Trudeau. Asked at a Bank press conference whether he is interested, Carney replied he had lots of admiration for Lagarde and that the proper processes should be followed. What he pointedly didn't say was "no".

Christine Lagarde's nomination to run the European Central Bank has prompted speculation over who could replace her as managing director of the International Monetary Fund.

Related: Labour sounds alarm over George Osborne's ambitions to run IMF - business live