Newcastle legend Alan Shearer discusses the club takeover
Newcastle aren’t expected to appoint Zinedine Zidane as their next manager. However, that hasn’t stopped the Toon from being linked with the Real Madrid icon following their huge Saudi takeover. So, with that being the case, it’s time to look back at their astonishing decision to snub the Frenchman when he was a player.
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“I went back to Jerome and said ‘I’ve watched the player and I’m going to put him in with Kevin Keegan and if a deal gets done I’ll make sure you are looked after’.
“He said ‘that would be fantastic’.”
And he then added: “I spoke with Kevin and said I’ve seen this player out in France and he looks absolutely fantastic.
“His name is Zinedine Zidane. He was 24 and this was in the January of 1996.
“Kevin said to me he would get somebody on it and has someone out in France and he knows the players and would get him watched.
Newcastle turned down Zinedine Zidane when he was a player (Image: GETTY)
“I said ‘Kev, one million per cent he will be good enough’.
“While I was there, I went to see the president of Bordeaux and he told me they wanted £1.2million and if they got that they would pay me a small commission out of it.
“I thought there was probably a deal to be done a £1million, but if I stick to £1.2million then at least I’m safe.
“I told Kevin the price was £1.2million. He sent somebody to watch him and then a couple of days after that he sent me a fax.
“He got his report back from the guy who watched him and said the player has got no chance of making it, at best he could play for Wolves – who were bottom of the First Division.
Newcastle are expected to sack Steve Bruce in the next few days (Image: GETTY)
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“I phoned Kevin and said ‘who on earth have you sent to watch this player, it must be f***ing Stevie Wonder or Ray Charles’.
“Kevin laughed and said that was the guy they relied on in France and that’s his report.
“He said he’s watched the player, knows the player and doesn’t think he’s good enough to play for Wolves and they are bottom of the First Division.”
All in all, astonishing stuff from Newcastle.
And whether their paths ever cross with Zidane in the future, now they’re filthy rich, remains to be seen.