Man Utd put on notice as Zinedine Zidane ‘secretly preparing’ to take job

Manchester United have long been linked with a move for former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane, but it’s believed the French great already has another position lined up

Zinedine Zidane is “secretly preparing” to take over as France manager, ending long-held rumours about his fit for the Manchester United job. Didier Deschamps is set to bring the curtain down on his highly successful stint as coach of Les Bleus next year, and Zidane is seemingly high in the running to replace him.

Deschamps, 56, confirmed in January he would vacate the national team role after the 2026 World Cup in North America. The former Chelsea and Juventus midfielder has enjoyed a very fruitful run in charge of his nation, leading France to successive World Cup finals and lifting the title in 2018.

Meanwhile, speculation linking Zidane with the United gig has rarely died down in recent years. The Ballon d’Or-winner hasn’t held a coaching role since leaving Los Blancos for a second time in 2021, and the Red Devils are yet to be truly satisfied with a coach since Sir Alex Ferguson left 12 years ago.

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Zidane, 53, won almost everything on offer as Real Madrid manager, including two league titles, three Champions League medals and two FIFA Club World Cups. That return has made him one of the most desirable free agents on the managerial market, and the persistent concerns over Ruben Amorim means rumours of a move to United, which began during the reign of Erik ten Hag, won’t go away.

But L’Equipe reported Zidane had his eyes firmly set on the France hot seat, which will become vacant in less than 12 months. And many French fans may like the idea of having a succession plan in place, particularly when the candidate is a hero to so many in the country.

“I feel legitimate in the French national team, where I played and spent almost 12, 13, or 14 years as a player,” Zidane was quoted as saying at an Adidas event in May. “Of course, it’s a dream. I can’t wait.

“There’s a coach in charge, there’s a team, and you have to respect all that, and that’s what we do. I’ve always respected football and people, so it’s not really the right time. But when the time comes, it will be a great pleasure if the opportunity presents itself. I put my career on hold for a while, but I feel fully a coach.”

Deschamps is a big admirer of Zidane and has spoken highly of his coaching credentials in the past. And it was soon after announcing his departure date that the incumbent poured praise on his compatriot.

“There is a lot of respect between us,” he told L’Equipe in early 2025 when asked for his take on the former Real chief potentially succeeding him as manager of France. “We saw each other last time in the summer of 2023, we should see each other again next summer, for the same reasons.

“Zizou is a very good candidate, natural and I would add expected. Afterwards, I don’t know if he will want to.”

Many United supporters are still rooting for Amorim and want to see the former Sporting CP coach thrive at Old Trafford. The Red Devils finally got a first win of the season at home to Burnley just prior to the international break, but the nail-biting nature of that injury-time win against promoted opposition doesn’t exactly bode well.

Amorim, 40, has been United boss for less than a full year, but his failure to lift the club from an all-time lowest Premier League finish of 15th last term didn’t win over many fans. Neither did the club’s early exit from this season’s EFL Cup after losing to League Two outfit Grimsby.

In many ways, it makes sense Zidane should move his sights onto the international scene after already accomplishing so much in club football. Meanwhile, Amorim’s United are taking things one step up at a time and return from the international break on Sunday with a derby showdown away to Manchester City.

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