Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Zinedine Zidane, Ruben Amorim, Manchester United, Premier League, Football, Real Madrid
Ryan Smart
Topics: Zinedine Zidane, Ruben Amorim, Manchester United, Premier League, Football, Real Madrid
Zinedine Zidane has two 'demands' if he is to replace Ruben Amorim as manager of Manchester United.
Amorim was sacked as United boss on Monday after 14 months in charge.
He leaves Old Trafford with his now former side in sixth place in the Premier League table.
Following Sunday's 1-1 draw away at fierce rivals Leeds, Amorim told reporters that he had agreed to be 'a manager, not a coach' when he first joined United.
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Nonetheless, in their official club statement confirming his exit, United referred to him as head coach - a job title he has held since taking over.
Under-18 coach Darren Fletcher will take temporary charge of the club following Amorim's departure.
According to BBC Sport, United plan to appoint an interim manager - who will not be Fletcher - for the rest of the season, before recruiting a permanent successor to Amorim in the summer.
Oliver Glasner, Enzo Maresca and Gareth Southgate are among the favourites to replace Amorim on a permanent basis.
All three would be advantageous hires for United and minority co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, with Maresca - who left Chelsea on New Year's Day - and former England boss Southgate both out of work.
Glasner, meanwhile, is into the final six months of his contract at Crystal Palace and United would not need to pay significant compensation - on top of what they already owe Amorim and have already shelled out to pay off Erik ten Hag - to bring him in.
An alternative option could be Zidane, who has been out of work since leaving Real Madrid for a second time in 2021.
Speaking ahead of a charity match in November, Zidane told reporters that he would be back in management 'very soon'.
He has been heavily linked with replacing Didier Deschamps as manager of the France national team once Deschamps steps down at the end of the 2026 World Cup.
But a club role could still appeal, with L'Equipe claiming in 2024 that he was uncertain about potentially being considered for the Bayern Munich job as he preferred the prospect of taking over at Old Trafford.
Zidane previously stated that his lack of proficiency in English would prevent him from managing in the Premier League, though his close friend and former France team-mate Emmanuel Petit claimed in 2021 that he had been learning the language.
In October 2024, Petit said that Zidane would make two demands of Manchester United if he was approached to take over as manager.
The ex-Arsenal midfielder explained: "At the moment, the environment at Manchester United for years has not been good.
"The stability of the bench, the level of the players as well, the expectation of the club is not the same that it used to be.
"United is still a huge club, but not on the pitch anymore.
"And Zizou is very conscious and very careful about that, the quality of the players ... if he takes the job at Manchester United, that means he's got solutions."