Chelsea have identified Zinedine Zidane as Maurizio Sarri’s successor should they decide to sack the under pressure boss, according to reports.However, they may face fierce competition from Manchester United. Chelsea’s 6-0 defeat to Manchester City at the weekend has left Sarri’s future in serious doubt just weeks after they suffered a humiliating 4-0 loss to Bournemouth.
According to The Sun, talks among Chelsea’s top brass have led to Zidane becoming the No 1 candidate to take charge.They claim the Blues would want the French legend to take charge imminently if they decide to sack Sarri now.Chelsea are drawn to the fact Zidane boasts three Champions League triumphs in three years during his time with Real Madrid as manager.
But any attempt to land Zidane now may prove difficult with the Frenchman currently on a sabbatical. Zidane is thought to be keen on taking a job in the Premier League but does not entertain the idea of joining a team half way through the season. Chelsea also face competition from Manchester United should they decide to hold off on making a decision on Sarri and then purse the 1998 World Cup winner in the summer.With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in charge until the end of the season, United chiefs are yet to make up their mind on who their next permanent boss will be.
The Norwegian is thought to be the frontrunner after his strong start – despite suffering his first defeat against PSG in the Champions League last night. However, along with Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino, Zidane is highly regarded among United chiefs and the club are yet to rule out a move for the former Galactico.United are well aware of Zidane’s situation with the 46-year-old not managing since walking away from Los Blancos last summer.
And the club’s decision to appoint an interim boss after Jose Mourinho’s sacking before Christmas could have been down to their plans to make a move for the likes of Zidane or Pochettino come May. But with Chelsea also seemingly keen on his services to take them back to the top of European football, both clubs now look set to battle it out for his signature. Zidane will certainly not be short of offers when he decides to return to the dugout.