Zinedine Zidane has been linked with the Manchester United job several times (Image: Getty)
Manchester United and Zinedine Zidane have often been mentioned in the same sentence when an Old Trafford boss is feeling the heat. The France and Real Madrid legend has been linked with United several times over the years – at the end of Jose Mourinho’s tenure, after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's sacking and now as Erik ten Hag clings onto his job following a wretched start to the season.
Sitting 14th in the Premier League with just two wins, it’s hard to see the Dutchman being retained for much longer unless he can conjure up a drastic upturn in form. Zidane’s name is usually hurled into the frame whenever a big job looks close to being available.
And despite United’s travails over the last decade, it remains one of the biggest jobs in world football. The closest he has come to joining was following Solskjaer’s dismissal in 2021, only for the former Juventus talisman to rule himself out.
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Reports in France suggest he is being lined up as Didier Deschamps’ successor as national team boss. Given Deschamps has won the World Cup as both a player and manager, hiring a figure of Zidane’s status would be understandable.
However, according to French outlet RMC, Deschamps isn't planning to quit any time soon and is eager to avoid Zidane ripping up the legacy he has built with the national side. As a result, United may have a free shot at Zidane should Ten Hag be dumped any time soon.
However, Zidane and his representative’s previous comments about United and English football suggest the home dugout at Old Trafford isn’t for him. There was a window of opportunity in 2018 between Zidane’s two spells at Real.
However, his agent, Alain Migliaccio, said at the time: "I do not think that he will manage in England. It is much less his style. I have discussed it with him, it does not really attract him."
Zinedine Zidane has made his feelings clear on managing Manchester United (Image: Getty)
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Zidane was again linked with United after Solskjaer’s sacking, only for the man himself, who speaks limited English, to say no. He told L'Equipe: "Would I want to go to Manchester [United]? I understand English, but I’m not completely fluent in it.
“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.”
Unless Zidane has improved his English, United may again have to look elsewhere, with Thomas Tuchel still in the club’s thoughts having held talks in the summer before Ten Hag was eventually kept on.
