Manchester United’s tumultuous start to the season saw Ed Woodward pull the plug on first team manager Jose Mourinho. The former Chelsea manager was likely to be fired during the course of the season and his inevitable sacking came after the Red Devils were beaten 3-1 by bitter rivals Liverpool last weekend.
Club legend and former manager of their reserve system in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been appointed as the interim manager who will oversee the club’s matters until the end of this season while the board of directors continues its search for a permanent manager who will be installed in the next summer.
Inevitably, Manchester United are looking at somebody who has proven himself at the very top level and they have been impressed by the handsomeness of the profile of ex-Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane. The 45-year-old has been without a job since May this year after resigning days later than leading Real Madrid to a third successive Champions League title.
The Red Devils have been flirting with the World Cup winning star and there were also reports which claimed that Zidane has started taking English lessons in order to polish his language before taking up the Old Trafford role which did entice him. He is a strong favourite to be at the helm next year, but he’ll only sign on three conditions.
Zidane’s first demand is of seeing Manchester United get rid of Paul Pogba, and that must happen before he signs his managerial papers. While the Frenchman is full of praise about the midfielder’s talents, his off-field gimmicks and casual attitude are not somethings which the former Real Madrid boss is a fan of.
The second condition placed forward by him is the need for a central defender. Jose Mourinho cried and cried for a centre back before losing his job, but Zidane wants assurances about that position being filled. Zizou is a big fan of his compatriot Raphael Varane and feels that he would be a great fit at the Old Trafford.
The third and final order put forth by Zidane is that Manchester United sign another player, the identity of whom is unknown just yet. However, it feels like he would want a certain right winger or strengthen his defensive flanks given the narrow options present there. What’s clear is that Manchester United will have to spend heavy cash.