Currently, Ten Hag remains safe despite Manchester United’s poor start. According to the English press, the Dutch manager has two more matches to secure his position, against Brentford in the Premier League and Fenerbahce in the Europa League.
In fact, several sources indicate that Ten Hag could be sacked immediately if United loses to Brentford this weekend. In this context, Zinedine Zidane—who led Real Madrid to two La Liga titles and three consecutive Champions League victories—is viewed as a potential candidate, especially after Thomas Tuchel accepted a position with the England national team.
However, according to former player Emmanuel Petit, a former teammate of Zidane on the French national team, Ratcliffe will need to make two commitments: to invest in player recruitment and to ensure Zidane’s position remains stable if he is to accept an offer from Old Trafford.
Zidane would certainly require substantial investment if he joins Manchester United.
Sharing with the Manchester Evening News, Petit said, “I’m not sure Zizou speaks English well, and communication is very important in the dressing room. Honestly, I know a bit about Zizou, and he needs assurances if he wants to sign with Manchester United.”
Petit also emphasized, “Currently, the environment at Manchester United has not been good for many years. Stability in the coaching position, the quality of players, and the club’s expectations are no longer what they used to be. United is still a big club, but not on the pitch anymore.
Zizou is very cautious about this, and he cares a lot about the quality of players. Looking at the current squad, I am not very impressed. If Zidane takes the job at Manchester United, it means he has some solutions in mind.”
Since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, Zidane has not taken on a new position. According to French media, the 52-year-old legend is only interested in managing the national team and has been waiting for this opportunity for quite some time. However, Didier Deschamps is still in charge and has a contract with the French national team until 2026.