By Samuel Opio
Zinedine Zidane wants to be named Manchester United’s new manager to replace Jose Mourinho, according to reports.
Mourinho, United’s current boss, is under intense pressure which grows with every passing week.
Negative results against Wolves and Derby – a draw and a loss respectively have put Mourinho on the brink, and there have been suggestions a defeat to West Ham on Saturday could see the former Chelsea boss dismissed from his position.
There is also discontent at Old Trafford concerning Mourinho’s treatment of Paul Pogba, the midfielder, as well as a number of United’s other first-team players, including defenders Phil Jones, Eric Bailly, and forward Marcus Rashford.
According to The Sun, Zidane is waiting in the wings to swoop in should Mourinho face the axe.
The former Real Madrid boss, who left the Bernabeu at the end of last season on the back of winning three successive European Cups, is ‘desperate’ to land the job and has reportedly turned down numerous other offers to make himself available for the position at United.
He is also said to have started taking English lessons in preparation of heading to these shores, while the France legend was also pictured in London earlier this week.
Earlier this month it was reported Zidane has already drawn up a shortlist of transfer targets he wanted to buy if named Red Devils manager. This list included high-profile names such as Edinson Cavani, the Paris Saint-Germain forward, as well as midfielders Toni Kroos of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich’s Thiago Alcantara, and James Rodriguez – who is currently on loan at Bayern from Zidane’s former side Real.
