01 March 2024 , 12:51
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Manchester United are NOT one of the three teams Zinedine Zidane would ever manage, according to an ex-teammate.
Zidane has been out of work since ending his second spell at Real Madrid in the summer of 2021. Los Blancos remain the only club that the French icon has taken charge of, yet he's already a three-time Champions League winner and a two-time La Liga champion as a manager.
That's prompted new United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to take an interest in Zidane's situation, with reports from France this week claiming that the British billionaire is eyeing him to replace struggling Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag. The Old Trafford hot seat would simply be too good to turn down for most managers, but not Zidane.
According to his former Madrid teammate, Thomas Gravesen, the ex-France captain has already revealed the three teams he would only ever manage. Speaking to Discovery+, via the Mail, Gravesen explained: "I spoke to Zidane in Madrid two years ago and he told me that there are only three roles that he would like to accept. And they are Marseille, Madrid and the French team. We were in Madrid two years ago and he told me exactly that."
The Dane, who played for Everton, Madrid and Celtic, went on to claim that it'd be "very difficult" for Zidane to be successful with the current United team. "I would say that the team he had in Madrid was fantastic, and he was prepared from the beginning," Gravesen continued. "In the United the situation is different, it is very difficult to do something with the team that Ten Hag has at the moment.
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Your turn! Should Manchester United appoint Zinedine Zidane? Give us your stance in the comments section.
Zinedine Zidane has been out of work since 2021 (Ibrahim Ezzat/Anadolu via Getty Images)One stumbling block for Zidane would be his inability to speak fluent English, although there's plenty of time to have lessons between now and next season. Discussing his reluctance to manage in the Premier League during an interview with L'Equipe in 2022, the Ballon d'Or-winning former midfielder highlighted his lack of English as a major factor.
"Never say never," Zidane began. "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.
"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."