Zinedine Zidane ‘not interested’ in Manchester United – or English football

Zinedine Zidane is not interested in replacing Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, according to his agent.

The former Real Madrid manager is currently unemployed after leaving the La Liga side in the summer following a third consecutive Champions League win, but wants to take a year out before deciding his next club.

Zidane appeared to be the ideal candidate to take over from Mourinho who is under huge pressure following a United’s worst start to the season in 29 years. The Portuguese has been widely criticised for repeatedly attacking United’s board, the lack of business in the last transfer window and regularly rounding on his players as the club have slipped drastically behind rivals Manchester City and Liverpool.

Return to management in 2019

But after United avoided going five games without a win for the first time since 1999, coming from two goals down against Newcastle on Saturday to win in stoppage time, Zidane’s representative, Alain Migliaccio, distanced his client from the job and indicated he would not be returning to management until at least June next year.

“I do not think that he will manage in England,” Migliaccio told the French weekly newspaper Journal du Dimanche. “It is much less his style. I have discussed it with him, it does not really attract him. He has chosen to have a year out, he will not dive in again before that is over.”