Sir Jim Ratcliffe reportedly ‘dreams’ of replacing Erik ten Hag with Zinedine Zidane, as pressure mounts on the Red Devils boss following defeat at Fulham.
Ratcliffe, who recently acquired a significant 27.7% stake in the club for £1.3 billion, is rapidly initiating changes behind the scenes at Old Trafford. The INEOS sports outfit has already made waves by appointing former Manchester City executive Omar Berrada as club chief executive, and is taking an active interest in the departure of Dan Ashworth from Newcastle, who could become sporting director.
With Erik Ten Hag currently holding the reins of the 13-time Premier League champion club, speculation is rife about Ratcliffe’s intentions to replace him this summer. According to Foot Mercato, Zidane is Ratcliffe’s dream candidate to succeed Ten Hag, and the club is eager to secure the Frenchman’s services if he shows interest in the position.
A major obstacle
However, United face a major obstacle: Zidane has already turned down offers from other clubs since leaving Real Madrid three years ago. The French coach’s career has been synonymous with unprecedented success for Real Madrid, including three Champions Leagues and two La Liga titles.
However, there is a glimmer of hope for Ratcliffe, as Zidane has hinted that he could return to management in the near future. In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Zidane said: “Training in Italy? Why not. Anything can happen, at the moment I’m doing something else, but I’m sure I’ll come back to the bench, I’d love to“.
