Zinedine Zidane made his stance clear on Man Utd job with French legend ‘one step away’ from return to management

Zinedine Zidane has expressed his interest in the Manchester United position.

In 2021, he departed Real Madrid for the second time. Since then, the former French footballer has remained unemployed and has been linked with various clubs, including United, Liverpool, and Paris Saint-Germain.

On Friday afternoon, Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo reported that Zidane could potentially replace Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich. Tuchel is set to depart Bayern at the end of the 23/24 season after they lost the Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen, ending their dominance.

However, according to French news outlet L’Equipe, Zidane prefers the idea of taking over at Manchester United rather than Bayern Munich. The report also highlighted potential obstacles such as language barriers and adjusting to life in Bavaria that could hinder a move to the Bundesliga for Zidane.

In 2022, Zidane disclosed that while he is eager to return to coaching, personal aspirations influence his decision-making process, making him less inclined to pursue certain opportunities.

Furthermore, the language barrier has hindered his candidacy for significant roles in the Premier League, such as the Manchester United job.

Speaking to L’Equipe, Zidane said: “When I was a player, I could choose almost every club. As a coach, there aren’t 50 clubs I can go to. There are two or three possibilities.

“If I go back to a club, it’s to win. I say this in all modesty. That’s why I can’t go anywhere.”

He then added: “For other reasons, too, I might not be able to go everywhere. Which ones? The language, for example. Certain conditions make things more difficult.

“When people say to me: ‘Do you want to go to Manchester?’ I understand English but I don’t fully master it. I know that 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. Me, I know what I need to win.”