Manchester United are said to be ‘stepping up’ their interest in three-time Champions League-winning coach Zinedine Zidane, amid the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s position.
The Norwegian is facing intense scrutiny following an underwhelming start to the season, with a dismal last few weeks seeing United soundly beaten by both Liverpool and Manchester City in successive games at Old Trafford.
The manner of both defeats has only served to raise doubts over whether Solskjaer is the right man to make the club title challengers once again, the 48-year-old failing to ignite a title bid this season despite an impressive summer of recruitment.
The club legend has steadied the ship since his appointment on an initial interim basis in December 2018, securing second and third-place finishes across the last two seasons, although failure to build on that progression this term has intensified the pressure on his position.
Recent weeks have seen a handful of names linked with the top job should he be moved on in the near future, the Times now reporting that Manchester United are ‘stepping up’ their pursuit of Zidane, despite the Frenchman’s initial reservations about taking the role.
He is currently out of work having left Real Madrid at the end of his second spell in charge in the summer, with the Red Devils keen to exploit his availability by tempting him into a move to Manchester.
The club hope that his previous connection with Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane – both of whom arrived at the Theatre of Dreams this summer – could work in their favour, while the 49-year-old’s previous experience of winning silverware is no doubt appealing.
The report suggests that there are growing doubts among the Glazer family regarding Solskjaer following a run of six defeats in 12 games in all competitions, with recent speculation also claiming that Leicester City’s Brendan Rodgers is another potential candidate for the hot seat.
