Zinedine Zidane’s future looks to have been decided amid ongoing links to the Manchester United job

France manager Didier Deschamps has refused to address speculation linking Zinedine Zidane with the France national team job.

Deschamps, who has led the side since 2012, is expected to leave his position after the 2026 World Cup. Zidane has been heavily linked with the role for a number of years and, according to French media reports, has now reportedly agreed verbally to succeed Deschamps this summer.

Adding to the speculation, French Football Federation (FFF) president Philippe Diallo hinted that an announcement could arrive soon after revealing he is aware of the identity of the next France coach. When asked directly if it was Zidane, Diallo replied with a smile: “I invite you to join us after the World Cup.”

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When Diallo’s remarks were raised with Deschamps at a press conference before France’s friendly match against Colombia on Sunday, the 57-year-old said he did not want to “waste energy” on the topic.

“I usually don’t comment on the president’s statements. I focus on what’s important to me, which is today, tomorrow and what lies ahead,” Deschamps, who guided France to World Cup triumph in 2018, explained. “I’m not going to waste energy on that. What happens next doesn’t concern me.”

Zidane has been out of work since his second departure from Real Madrid in 2021. Since then, he has been repeatedly linked with the Manchester United job. However, it is believed he is hesitant about working in the UK because of his limited English.

Although he has been away from management for several years, Zidane, who won three Champions League titles and two La Liga crowns as Real Madrid boss, has never ruled out a return and recently suggested he would be back in the dugout soon. “It will happen soon. Very soon,” he said in November last year.

He has also openly expressed a desire to manage France one day, and that ambition is thought to be shared by the federation, which is reportedly viewing Zidane as the natural successor to Deschamps. Diallo also noted that “fewer than five” candidates applied for the role after it became known Deschamps would be stepping down.

“It takes a profile that ticks many boxes and which can also be the subject of support from the French people, since this French football team is the team of the French people,” he said.

One of Zidane’s former international team-mates, Nicolas Anelka, has previously said he expects the 1998 Ballon d’Or winner to be appointed, describing it as a strong choice.

“I don’t know if it’s official, but I think it will be Zidane,” Anelka said. “Everyone says it will be him, and he’s the best choice; he proved it at Real Madrid. He was a good coach. He will be a good leader for the French players.”

The situation may be disappointing for Manchester United supporters, many of whom would like to see Zidane take charge at Old Trafford this summer. However, with interim coach Michael Carrick delivering strong results, the urgency around appointing Zidane may have decreased.

Carrick is now considered the leading candidate for the permanent role after winning seven of his first 10 matches in charge and securing United’s place in the top four. Even so, a final decision is not expected until the end of the season.

Gareth Bale has given his verdict on former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane, who has been linked with the Manchester United manager’s job

Former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has given an insight into Zinedine Zidane’s coaching methods amid continued links with Manchester United. The Reds are being linked with several potential candidates for the job at Old Trafford, with Michael Carrick currently in interim charge until the end of the season.

Carrick was appointed in January on an interim basis, but could be in contention for the job on a permanent basis if he continues his impressive run of form for United.

Before United’s defeat to Newcastle earlier this week, United had racked up six wins in seven matches, picking up 19 points from a possible 21 on offer in the Premier League, which has helped the club climb up to third place in the table.

Despite the run of form, several candidates continue to be linked with the United manager’s job on a permanent basis from the summer, with Zidane mentioned frequently over the last few years.

READ MORE: ‘A sad day’ – Man United star lifts lid on reaction to transfer announcementREAD MORE: Why Manchester United are changing pre-season plans and where they could play

Zidane has been out of work since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, and has been frequently linked with a return to management ever since, with United and the France national team mentioned as potential destinations.

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Bale played under Zidane during his time at Los Blancos, winning five Champions League titles, three of which were under the Real legend’s management.

Speaking about Zidane’s time as manager at the Santiago Bernabeu, Bale provided an insight into what it was like to work with the 53-year-old, particularly in training.

“Zidane as a coach? Honestly, he didn’t do much,” Bale said on the Stick to Football podcast. “We’d go over some tactics before matches against Barcelona or Bayern—15 minutes of defensive work. Other than that, it was just possession games, shooting drills, and then we’d go home.

“But he earned respect thanks to his qualities as a player. He participated in training, even beat me a few times – he’s still in great shape.”

United will return to Premier League action next weekend as they face Aston Villa at Old Trafford, having had a break this week due to not being involved in the FA Cup.

The Reds will then face an away trip to Bournemouth on March 22, which will be their final match before the international and will not be back in action until April 13.

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Paul Scholes called out Michael Carrick on Wednesday night after naming his preferred candidates to take over as Manchester United manager

Paul Scholes had already named the six managers he wants to take charge of Manchester United before he fired a dig at Michael Carrick.

The United legend and pundit has been vocal in recent months about who he would like to see in the dugout at Old Trafford. Scholes named several potential successors to Ruben Amorim while the Portuguese was still head coach, and has continued to do so even after Carrick replaced Amorim as interim manager until the end of this season.

Scholes does not appear to be convinced by Carrick despite his former team-mate’s impressive start at United, where he won six games and drew one in his first seven fixtures. Following Carrick’s first defeat on Wednesday, a 2-1 loss at Newcastle, the former midfielder aimed a sarcastic jibe at the current boss.

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He wrote on his Instagram story: “Michael has definitely got something special about him… cos Utd have been c*** last four games… night.” That is in line with Scholes’ comments over the past five months, where he has not named Carrick among his list of candidates that he would like to come in as United’s manager.

Recently, he said on The Good, The Bad & The Football Podcast that former Real Madrid and Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti was his preferred pick, despite the Italian currently being in charge of the Brazil national team ahead of this summer’s World Cup.

Scholes said: “The perfect one out there – I say perfect – Ancelotti is still out there. I know he is the coach of Brazil. He is the perfect one for Manchester United, where you think he will make players feel a million dollars. And he has the experience of winning stuff. But the question is, is he too old now? That’s the only thing. Is there anyone else of that ilk, with more experience? They need presence as a leader.”

That was a different pick from the three names he listed in January after Amorim’s sacking. The 51-year-old had identified Aston Villa boss Unai Emery as a shrewd appointment. Despite his podcast co-host Nicky Butt not being convinced that Emery would leave Villa to join United, Scholes insisted the Spaniard could be swayed by the allure of Old Trafford.

He also named Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola as an option, highlighting his tremendous job on the south coast. Scholes admitted he was a big fan of the Spaniard’s philosophy, saying: “Iraola at Bournemouth, I think he plays attacking football.”

But the United icon’s preferred pick was England manager Thomas Tuchel. He said: “Number one for me, which I’d do in the summer, is Thomas Tuchel all day long. I think Tuchel is one of the very best out there. He’d be my number one target, and his contract with England is only until the summer.

“I think he can be a bit temperamental, and he could be quite difficult to handle. But he’s done it at big clubs. And he’s turned England around of late. You won’t know how much he’s done with England until the World Cup because the opposition is that bad. But England do look a lot better under him.”

Tuchel had been linked with the United job for some time before taking charge of the Three Lions in October 2024. The German famously won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021 before being dismissed several months later, going on to manage Bayern Munich afterwards.

Yet, barring any disaster at the World Cup, Tuchel is set to remain England’s long-term manager, having signed a contract extension until the end of Euro 2028 since Scholes’ comments. Another name Scholes has mentioned ahead of Carrick is Eddie Howe of Newcastle, who has guided the club to the Champions League in recent years.

Speaking on The Overlap last October, he said: “Eddie Howe, Eddie Howe. I’m not sure about his mate [assistant manager Jason Tindall], but definitely him.”

Around the same time, he stated that Zinedine Zidane was a great alternative to Amorim. The former Real Madrid manager has been out of work since 2021 but has reportedly now reached a verbal agreement to become France’s manager after the World Cup.

Scholes said: “This is one of the very biggest clubs in the world, so they should have the very best in class. Zidane is the one who has been at a major, major club and won major honours. But I am not sure how educated he is with the English language or whether he actually wants to come to England. You never get that feeling with him.”

Manchester United are set for an interesting summer as the club aim to finish in the Champions League places

Manchester United face several pivotal decisions this summer. While the club pursues a Champions League place in the Premier League, United must also address off-field matters that will shape next season.

The encouraging start that interim boss Michael Carrick has enjoyed at Old Trafford means United remain in contention for the top four. With just their remaining 11 league fixtures to concentrate on, the club is targeting a return to Europe’s elite competition.

Carrick will aim to utilise the remaining matches to persuade the United hierarchy to award him the manager’s position permanently. Numerous coaches have been linked with the vacancy, though the club legend could secure the role for himself.

It has been claimed that Zinedine Zidane is nearing a return to management, while Carrick has highlighted one of the obstacles United will encounter this summer. Here, MEN Sport examines some of the stories surrounding the club.

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Michael Carrick issues transfer warning

Michael Carrick has indicated that Manchester United are poised to lose a key player in the upcoming transfer window. This follows the announcement that Casemiro will leave the club at the end of his contract, despite the seasoned midfielder experiencing a resurgence this season, and he could prove challenging to replace.

“Yeah, well, listen, it’s an important position, I think,” said the United boss. “Not being biased, obviously, as being a midfielder, but I think it is an important position to try and tie everything together.

“You’re connected to the whole team, and that’s sometimes emotionally, a little bit mentally, and showing that composure and understanding of the game a little bit. And Case’s had a big influence within the group on that.”

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Zinedine Zidane ‘agrees’ next role

Zinedine Zidane has been linked with the Manchester United job on multiple occasions since leaving Real Madrid. The 53-year-old secured three Champions Leagues and two La Liga titles during two stints managing Los Blancos, but has remained out of the dugout since stepping down in 2021.

It has been reported by journalist Fabrizio Romano that Zidane has verbally agreed to take over as France manager following this summer’s World Cup. Didier Deschamps’ reign as head coach is set to end after the tournament.

Zidane has not been linked with the United position since Carrick’s appointment as temporary boss. However, Zidane closing in on a new role would improve Carrick’s prospects of retaining his position, with a prominent coach removing himself from possible contention for the job.

Zinedine Zidane has reportedly agreed to a managerial role after long-term speculation over his move to Manchester United

Zinedine Zidane’s reported agreement to become France’s manager after the World Cup will finally put an end to rumours about his potential appointment at Manchester United. This week, reports emerged claiming Zidane has verbally agreed to take over the France national team following this summer’s World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

His former international team-mate, Didier Deschamps, currently holds the reins, but his contract is due to expire after the tournament. Deschamps, 57, has led Les Bleus since 2012, taking them to back-to-back World Cup finals and glory in 2018.

Yet, in recent years, there has been a growing belief that Zidane is biding his time to step in once Deschamps departs. The 53-year-old has been out of management since leaving Real Madrid for the second time in 2021.

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The former Ballon d’Or winner’s remarkable first stint at the Santiago Bernabeu from 2016 to 2018 saw him win nine trophies, including three successive Champions League titles. Those managerial feats haven’t been forgotten during his five-year absence from the game, with him regularly linked with the United job dating back to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s dismissal.

That was the case again before Ruben Amorim’s arrival at Old Trafford in 2024 and once more earlier this season. Zidane has even spoken publicly about the prospect of managing United in the past.

When asked if he would consider taking a Premier League job in 2022, the 1998 World Cup winner told L’Equipe: “Never say never. Especially when you are a coach today. If I go back to a club, it is to win. I say this with all modesty.

“That’s why I can’t just go anywhere. For other reasons, too. Certain conditions make things more difficult. When someone says to me, ‘Do you want to go to Manchester [United]?’ I understand English but I don’t fully master it.

“I know there are coaches who go to clubs without speaking the language but I work differently. To win, many elements come into play. It’s a global context. I know what I need to win.

“Of course, I might not always win but I know that you need to have this, this and this. And I want to do everything on my side to optimise my chances of victory.”

Another of Zidane’s former France team-mates, Arsenal icon Emmanuel Petit, later fuelled speculation over the legendary midfielder’s potential move to United by suggesting he had been taking English lessons.

Petit said: “If you are a manager of a football club, you need to speak different languages. I know Zinedine speaks different languages but, I’m pretty sure English is not one of them.

“There are so many examples of wrong decisions in football, not necessarily the wrong decision about someone’s ability, but about the dressing room being a right fit given all the different nationalities.

“Communication is very important, so if you do not speak the language when you arrive at a club like Manchester United, that could be a big problem.

“I’ve been told that he has been learning English recently, so I think he knows it’s important for his career. But Zinedine being linked with Manchester United, I don’t believe it, to be honest.”

The Frenchman, who usually avoids the spotlight, caused a stir when he made a surprise appearance at a Real Betis training session in 2024, prompting speculation that the former Real Madrid manager was gearing up for a managerial comeback. It later emerged that the visit was simply to watch his son, Elyaz, train with the senior team for the first time since leaving Real Madrid.

His name has resurfaced among the contenders for the United job, which is vacant at the end of the current campaign. Michael Carrick was appointed as interim boss last month, leading to speculation over who will assume the role on a permanent basis in the summer.

However, even before the latest reports of an agreement with France put an end to speculation linking him with United, Zidane had recently reiterated his ambition to take charge of the national team.

“I will definitely return,” Zidane said during an appearance at Festival dello Sport in Trento last year. “In terms of the future, I don’t know. My feeling is that I want to be able to coach the national team in the future, even though I don’t mean right now. I would like to one day, but we’ll see.”

Earlier this season, when discussing his stance on returning to management, Zidane revealed: “It will happen soon. Very soon.”

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