Zinedine Zidane’s name continues to pick up pace in England as a potential successor to Jose Mourinho at Manchester United and according to Spanish publication ‘AS’, the Frenchman already has a provisional starting XI in mind should he be given the top job at Old Trafford.
The former Real Madrid boss is thought to be getting closer and closer to a return to the dugout after admitting that he will restart his managerial career sooner rather than later.
Those comments only added fuel to the rumours linking Zidane with the Manchester United hot seat, with English newspaper ‘The Mirror’ claiming that the World Cup winner is merely awaiting a call from the ‘Red Devils’.
Defeats to Brighton and Tottenham have seen United claim just six points from 12 so far this season, whilst Mourinho’s ongoing battles with the club’s board are understood to have made him few friends at the club.
Zidane’s experience, profile and availability all make him the ideal candidate to replace the Portuguese and if ‘AS’ is to believed, Zidane already knows what he would like his United lineup to look like, with a few new additions included of course.
David de Gea would remain United’s go-to man between the sticks, with Antonio Valencia and Luke Shaw in the full-back positions. Raphael Varane, who Mourinho took to the Bernabeu, would be brought in at centre-half to partner Victor Lindelof.
Midfield and attack would also see some new faces, with Toni Kroos and Thiago Alcantara joining Paul Pogba in the engine room and James Rodriguez playing in behind Marcus Rashford and Edinson Cavani up top.
It’s a mouthwatering side on paper, but there remain a whole host of hurdles to navigate before it ever looks like becoming a reality, not least bringing in Zidane and convincing some of the world’s top clubs to part with their stars.