Zinedine Zidane names the three things that must happen at Man Utd before he takes job

Zinedine Zidane has indicated the three conditions that must be in place at Manchester United for him to consider managing the team.

After a disappointing second season in charge, Erik ten Hag is facing pressure. This uncertainty has led to several prominent managers being linked with the Old Trafford position, including Zidane.

The iconic French coach has been out of work since departing Real Madrid in 2021. Zidane had two spells as head coach at the club where he once played, winning the Champions League three consecutive times from 2016 to 2018 before returning in 2019 and leading the team to a La Liga title.

Zidane returned to Madrid this weekend for a legends match against Porto, during which he spoke about his departure nearly three years ago.

“I know football and I know the demands of a club like Madrid,” Zidane said, via Marca.

“I understand that when you don’t win, you have to leave, but something very important has been overlooked here—everything I built day-to-day has been forgotten, all that I contributed in terms of relationships with the players and the one hundred and fifty people working with and around the team.”

The future of Ten Hag remains uncertain, especially with the club’s new minority owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, unsure if he’s the right fit to lead United back to the top of English football. Zidane outlined three crucial elements for sustained success at a club, implying that he wouldn’t accept the United role unless these factors were guaranteed.

“I am a born winner and I was here to win trophies, but beyond that are people, emotions, life.

“And I feel that these things have not been valued, that it has not been understood that this is also how the dynamics of a great club are sustained.

“In some ways, I have even been criticized for it. Today, the life of a manager at a top club lasts two seasons, not much longer. For it to last longer, human relationships are essential—they are more important than money, more important than fame, more important than everything.”