Zinedine Zidane has been out of a job since walking out of Real Madrid at the end of the 2020–2021 season. This was the second time the Frenchman left the Spanish giants. The first time he walked away in a similar fashion was in 2018 after winning three UEFA Champions League titles with Los Blancos in a row.
Due to his reputation as a serial winner, Zinedine Zidane has been linked with some of the top jobs in the game, including Manchester United, who are officially in crisis under Erik Ten Hag this season. However, the Frenchman has reiterated those claims, as he seems not to be interested in the job at Old Trafford.
Reasons for Zidane’s potential Old Trafford snub
Zinedine Zidane is a big manager with an equally big personality. The former Real Madrid midfielder was appointed at the Bernabeu as an inexperienced manager, but it turned out well as he won three UCL titles in a row in his first few years at the club, making him the only manager to do so. His success with the Los Blancos has once again linked him with the job at Old Trafford, where things are not going well for United under Ten Hag.
According to Sport Bible, Zinedine Zidane would be the leading candidate if United were to part ways with Erik Ten Hag. However, the Frenchman has listed some factors that could hinder his decision to join the Red Devils.
“When I was a player, I could choose almost every club. As a coach, there aren’t 50 clubs I can go to. There are two or three possibilities,” the former Real Madrid manager told L’Equipe in 2022.
“If I go back to a club, it’s to win. I say this in all modesty. That’s why I can’t go anywhere. For other reasons, too. I might not be able to go anywhere. Which ones? The language, for example. Certain conditions make things more difficult.
“When people say to me: ‘Do you want to go to Manchester?’ I understand English, but I don’t fully master it. I know that there are coaches who go to clubs without speaking the language, but I work differently. To win, many elements come into play. It’s a global contest. Me, I know what I need to win,” Zinedine Zidane concluded.
With no job to bother about at the moment, Zinedine Zidane has been enjoying himself, recently linking up with David Beckham to watch an Inter Miami’s game in Messi’s absence about a month ago.
Realistic candidates for Erik Ten Hag’s replacement
Erik Ten Hag’s days at Manchester United are numbered. The Dutchman has failed to lift his team out of freefall, with another 3-0 defeat to Newcastle at Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup ending the club’s hopes of defending the only silverware they won last season.
With Erik Ten Hag potentially facing the sack, the Dutchman is likely to be replaced by a number of realistic candidates.
Antonio Conte is currently out of a job, and the Italian could be tempted by a return to England after facing the sack at Tottenham midway through last season. Another potential replacement is former United midfielder Michael Carrick. Carrick built a strong reputation at Championship club Middlesbrough last season, eventually picking up the Manager of the Month award for November 2022. He has also led the club to four wins in their last five championship games this season.
Despite the signings he made, Erik Ten Hag hasn’t made the most of his resources in his second season at the club. Although the club reportedly blocked a move for Chelsea flop Hakim Ziyech, the Dutchman still has more than enough players at his disposal to lead the club to a top-four finish this season, which is now looking unlikely.
Will Zinedine Zidane ever manage Manchester United? Tell us what you think in the comments.
