Zinedine Zidane made thoughts on Man Utd job clear amid training ground visit

Zinedine Zidane has been linked with the Manchester United job in the past, and the former Real Madrid boss has previously spoken about the chances of him managing at Old Trafford

Zinedine Zidane has been out of work for four years but continues to be linked with high-profile manager jobs, including at Manchester United. The French coach won two La Liga titles and oversaw a record three consecutive Champions League triumphs across his two reigns as Real Madrid boss.

The 53-year-old decided to leave Los Blancos in 2021 after ending the season trophyless, but his managerial achievements have not been forgotten. Zidane was linked with the United job ahead of the Red Devils appointing Ruben Amorim last year, and he has once again been the subject of speculation this season.

United have continued to falter under Amorim, but the Portuguese coach will hope that last weekend’s win over Liverpool can prove to be a turning point. Meanwhile, Zidane remains available and has previously addressed the idea of becoming United boss in the past.

In 2022, when asked if he would consider taking a Premier League job, Zidane told L’Equipe: “Never say never. Especially when you are a coach today. If I go back to a club, it is to win. I say this with all modesty.

“That’s why I can’t just go anywhere. For other reasons, too. Certain conditions make things more difficult. When someone says to me, ‘Do you want to go to Manchester [United]?’ I understand English but I don’t fully master it.

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“I know 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 context. I know what I need to win.

“Of course, I might not always win, but I know that you need to have this, this and this. And I want to do everything on my side to optimise my chances of victory.”

Whether Zidane now feels his understanding of English is strong enough to succeed in the Premier League remains to be seen. However, he drew attention by attending a Real Betis training session last year.

Zidane was reportedly in attendance to watch his son Elyaz in first-team training, but there were suggestions that the former Real Madrid boss was preparing for a return to work. Despite the continual links to United, Zidane could soon be in line to land his dream job.

The World Cup winner recently reiterated his desire to manage France in the future. The opportunity may soon come his way as Zidane’s former teammate Didier Deschamps has confirmed that he intends to step down as manager after the 2026 World Cup, ending what will be 14 years in charge of Les Bleus.

“I will definitely return,” Zidane said during an appearance at Festival dello Sport in Trento earlier this month. “In terms of the future, I don’t know. My feeling is that I want to be able to coach the national team in the future, even though I don’t mean right now. I would like to one day, but we’ll see.”

However, Zidane is less certain about the possibility of managing Juventus, where he spent five years of his playing career. “I don’t know. It hasn’t happened before, I’ve made other choices,” he said. “Juve will always remain in my heart, it gave me a lot from the beginning when I went there. As for the future, I don’t know.”

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