Zinedine Zidane is reportedly hopeful of becoming the next Manchester United boss if Jose Mourinho is shown the door at Old Trafford this season
According to a report by Daily Mail, Zinedine Zidane has privately confessed that he wants to manage Manchester United. The Frenchman, who is without a job after resigning as the Real Madrid boss earlier this year, is expecting the Premier League heavyweights to offer him the top job if they sack Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho’s stint at Manchester United has been quite unlike any of his previous managerial reigns. The Portuguese delivered two major honours in his first season at Old Trafford before a big improvement in the league saw them finish second on the table, albeit in a trophy-less campaign.
The start to the 2018-19 season has been anything but ideal for Mourinho and Manchester United. Some obvious tell tale signs of the dreaded “third season syndrome” have been witnessed, with Mourinho frustrated over the lack of spending by the Red Devils this summer.
Their performance on the pitch and the reported morale in the dressing room is also an area of concern. There have been reports of Paul Pogba and Mourinho not meeting eye-to-eye along with rumours of unrest within the squad, all without any confirmation.
There is a growing feeling that 2018-19 might well be Mourinho’s final season at Old Trafford. As a result, a few names have already been thrown up as potential replacements, with Zinedine Zidane reportedly being the favourite to be the next Manchester United manager.
Zinedine Zidane took over the reins at the Bernabeu, three years after Jose Mourinho had departed from the club and guided Los Blancos to stupendous success, including three successive Champions League triumphs.
But, the 46-year-old is out of a job after he announced his shock resignation as the Real Madrid manager just days after landing the club’s 13th Champions League trophy. Speculation over his next job has been rife, with certain reports also claiming that an executive role at Juventus could be in the offing. But, the Frenchman is reportedly keen on the Manchester United top job.
The report suggests that Zidane has told his friends that he wants to succeed Mourinho at Old Trafford, and is expecting to be offered the role of managing Manchester United if the former Real Madrid boss is sacked. For now though, the club has publicly backed the Portuguese, who also signed an extension on his original deal earlier this year.
But, Zidane, as he expects, remains the contingency plan for Manchester United if things go south over the course of the season. His arrival at Old Trafford could also help convince Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial to stay put at the club, thanks to his French connection.
More importantly, Zidane could pave the way for Manchester United to play attractive football whilst also potentially making an instant impact at Old Trafford, like he did at Real Madrid. For now though, Mourinho has the backing of the Red Devils, although it remains to be seen if their stance changes over the course of this season, depending on the club’s performance.
