Zinedine Zidane chooses between Man Utd and Bayern Munich as Ratcliffe sends clear signal.
Zidane is reportedly in discussions with Bayern over replacing Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season. The French football icon has not been in a job since leaving his second spell at Real Madrid in 2021. It is claimed that several hurdles must be overcome if Zidane is to be appointed by Bayern, even though a deal is described as being ‘close’. According to L’Equipe, one of those issues is that the former midfielder is more enticed by the Old Trafford hot seat.
Co-owner Ratcliffe will oversee sweeping changes at United over the summer. Despite an upturn in form after Christmas, United are extremely unlikely to qualify for the Champions League – sitting 13 points off fourth-placed Aston Villa. Ten Hag’s only hope of landing a trophy this season is by winning the FA Cup. United are likely to consider all options and have been linked with various managerial targets.
Given his three Champions League and two La Liga triumphs with Real, Zidane’s name has naturally emerged as a possible candidate to replace Ten Hag should the axe fall on the Dutchman. However, the 51-year-old previously turned down the opportunity to manage United in 2022, prior to Ten Hag’s appointment, citing the language barrier as a concern. He stated that the language barrier would impact his ability to win trophies in Manchester. “Would I want to go to Manchester [United]?
I understand English, but I’m not completely fluent in it,” he said in a 2022 interview. Zidane then insisted that he could “never say never” to any job, as there are far fewer coaching roles than playing opportunities. He emphasized the importance of joining a club where the conditions are perfect to deliver success. In summary, Zidane’s potential move to Bayern is facing hurdles, while his interest in the Manchester United job due to potential sweeping changes at the club and his aspirations for success is also evident.
