Former Real Madrid Star Zinedine Zidane has finally Responded to the media after being linked as being next Manchester United manager if Erig Ten Hag is sacked after the international break
Zinedine Zidane has previously stated why he wouldn’t want to take the Manchester United job as pressure continues to mount on Erik ten Hag.
Following two losses from three Premier League games, including a significant 3-0 defeat by Liverpool, Ten Hag, 54, is under immense pressure. Zidane, 52, has been out of work since his departure from Real Madrid in 2021, and in the years since he’s been linked with the Old Trafford hotseat on several occasions.
But any hopes Sir Jim Ratcliffe has of luring him the Frenchman to Manchester will likely rest on whether he’s changed his mind about managing in England. Back in 2021, Zidane was linked to Old Trafford following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s departure, but the 1998 World Cup winner said no.
Speaking to L’Equipe shortly after, Zidane explained that he wouldn’t be able to work in the UK due to the language barrier. “I understand English, but I don’t fully master it,” he said. “I know that there are coaches who go to clubs without speaking the language, but I work in a different way.
“Many elements come into play in order to win, it is a global context. I know what I need to win.”
Whether Zidane’s English has improved since then isn’t known, but if it hasn’t, Ratcliffe and co. might as well as scrub him from their wishlist. That said, reports in France claim that Zidane was interested in the United job earlier this year, though this was prior to Ten Hag extending his contract.
Thomas Tuchel, the former Chelsea boss, also had discussions with United after leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season. It’s believed that a deal was nearly finalised, but United ultimately decided to stick with Ten Hag amid rumours that Tuchel was unhappy with the United’s transfer policy.
