(Football news) The Frenchman hasn’t played since the summer of 2021, when his second stint at Los Blancos ended. It seems that he has been waiting for the France position to open up.
Though current Bleus manager Didier Deschamps has a contract with the French Football Federation that runs until the 2026 World Cup, Zidane has not been in a haste to return to the dugout because he wants to coach his country.
Zidane has an abundance of credit due to his incredible accomplishments with Real Madrid, which include three Champions League wins, two La Liga crowns, and two Club World Cups. This is in spite of his extended stint without a high-level position.
While it remains unclear whether the 51-year-old is willing to return to management in a club capacity, a handful of teams will likely try to twist his arm during a summer of unprecedented change on European touchlines.
Bayern have now taken concrete steps to appoint Zidane as their new head coach by making contact with the Frenchman’s representatives over replacing Thomas Tuchel.
The latter only took over from the sacked Julian Nagelsmann towards the end of the 2022-23 campaign, but his first full year in the Bayern hotseat will be his last, as he has already confirmed that he will be leaving at the end of the season.
Tuchel could still bid farewell to the Allianz Arena with a Champions League crown – the Bavarians drew 2-2 with Arsenal in the first leg of their quarter-final – but their Bundesliga crown was officially ripped out of their grasp by Bayer Leverkusen at the weekend.
Bayern have apparently asked Zidane’s camp about the 51-year-old’s willingness to come back to the hotseat for the 2024-25 campaign, only a few weeks after the ex-midfielder opened the door to taking the reins again.
Asked about the possibility of managing in Serie A after a Juventus charity match, Zidane said: “Train one day in Italy? Why not? Anything can happen, but at the moment I’m doing something else. I’m sure I’ll return to the bench, I’d like to train again.”
A manager out of work for three years may raise a few red flags in any other scenario, but it has not been for the want of trying from interested parties to lure Zidane back in; his yearning for the France gig has simply been too strong up until now.
Whether the former Real Madrid Galactico can go another two years without barking orders from the touchline is another question entirely, and a handful of clubs could try to twist his arm this summer.
As well as Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Barcelona will both be on the hunt for new head coaches ahead of the exits of Jurgen Klopp and Xavi, and both sides have already been left to rue what could have been with Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso.
Juventus, Zidane’s previous team, may also make a move – the Bianconeri are anticipated to part ways with Massimiliano Allegri this summer – and Paris Saint-Germain may have tried their hand before appointing Luis Enrique.
Although Zidane’s work is something that Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a new Manchester United stakeholder, also admires, the Frenchman is not believed to be interested in taking Erik ten Hag’s place this summer.
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