Manchester United, who entrusted the reins of their team to the young Portuguese strategist Ruben Amorim after the dismissal of Erik ten Hag, never managed to attract Zinédine Zidane. British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, who took power among the residents of Old Trafford on December 24, 2023, visibly dreamed of “Zizou” and could also count on the good relations of Jean-Claude Blanc, the general director of Ineos Sport. In vain.
Arsenal should not have any better luck with the French football legend. Zidane is suddenly demanded by some Gunners fans as Mikel Arteta’s side took a major blow in the Premier League title race. Beaten at Newcastle on Saturday (1-0), two weeks after a first defeat at Bournemouth (2-0), William Saliba and his teammates already find themselves seven points behind leader Liverpool (winner of Brighton in the process).
Zidane in England, a definitive no?
Since Zidane never considered managing a Premier League club, believing he did not master the language of Shakespeare, there is no chance of seeing him land at Arsenal after refusing Manchester United. Certainly, the London club offers a much more solid sporting project than its Mancunian rival. And the team is precisely led by Martin Odegaard, whom Zidane used during the 2020-2021 season (9 matches before his departure for London). But not enough to force the hand of the three-time winner of the Champions League, a year and a half before the 2026 World Cup.
Above all, Arsenal leaders have no reason to turn everything upside down by ousting Mikel Arteta, a tactician who has clearly put the Gunners back in the spotlight in the Premier League (2nd in the last two seasons) and who has been extended , two months ago, until 2027! The former assistant to Pep Guardiola will perhaps be weakened by the results of the next two matches, against Inter in the Champions League (in Milan), and against Chelsea in the PL (at the Bridge). But from there to taking the door…
