Jose Mourinho’s time at Manchester United appears to be coming to an end with the instability at the club intensifying ahead of the Champions League clash with Valencia.
With the Red Devils’ title challenge seemingly over already, sitting in 10th place and nine points off the pace-setters Manchester City and Liverpool , a loss in Tuesday’s game could see drastic action taken.
And while there is not a perfect candidate, there are two world class options on the market, who would not require compensation to a rival club.
Zinedine Zidane is on a sabbatical after leaving Real Madrid , but intriguingly Antonio Conte is also available, and the former Chelsea manager’s viability has become more attractive in recent days.
Juventus parted company with former CEO Beppe Marotta this, with the Italian seen as the key to the resurgence of the Old Lady over the last eight years. The transfer guru has manipulated the market with innovative ways to bring world class talent to Turin below market value.
Whilst Marotta is now available, his former colleague and Juve sporting director Fabio Paratici has also been linked with United – though he is now expected to be promoted in Turin after Marotta’s departure.
Marotta enjoys a great relationship with Conte and finally the pair are both available, leading to Corriere dello Sport claiming the pair could reunite at Old Trafford.
With Ed Woodward and Mourinho’s record in the transfer market has been poor in recent years, the addition of Marotta to an already proven world class manager such as Conte could be highly attractive as United bid to bring success back to the club.
Conte won the League in his first season at Chelsea and added an FA cup triumph in which he beat Mourinho’s Manchester United 1-0 in the final last season. He was however later sacked by the London club an was replaced by fellow Italian Maurizio Sarri.