The perfect opportunity seems to be availing itself as Manchester United target, Mauricio Pochettino, may have just been given an escape route from PSG as the latest reports claim that the Parc des Princes club have allegedly made contact with their ‘dream’ replacement, Former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.
The Old Trafford hierarchy, especially the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson whose words still carry weight at the club, are said to be more than keen on the Argentine head coach as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s long-term replacement and long-overdue heir to Fergie, after the Norwegian was finally sacked on Sunday morning.
United had no recourse but to wield the axe after relegation-wary Watford inflicted an excruciating 4-1 defeat on United at Vicarage Road, which promptly left the Old Trafford hierarchy no options but to resort to the obvious as the abysmal run of results had already left Solskjaer in a whole new world of pain, and the nature of such a torrid, shameful defeat proved to be the final straw the broke the proverbial camel’s back, immediately setting in motion the 48-year-old’s unavoidable departure.
As there has obviously been no immediate succession plans in place, first XI team coach and former club midfielder Michael Carrick has stepped in as caretaker boss while the search for an interim to see out the season is already not urgently in progress. Thereafter, a long-term manager would then reportedly be sought during the summer, but based on the latest news emerging from PSG, Pochettino could be available possibly much sooner than hoped for.
According to FootMercato, PSG owners Qatar Sports Investments ‘dream’ of former Los Blancos dynamo and head coach Zinedine Zidane taking charge of the team. Interestingly, the serial award-winning Frenchman had also been on United’s radar recently until reports emerged to the contrary saying he had no interest at all in the Old Trafford vacancy, as he only has his sights set on either the gaffer’s role in the French national team or as head coach at PSG.
FootMercato claim furthermore that contact has already been initiated between the PSG hierarchy and Zidane’s agent, with a an optimistic view to succeeding Pochettino as it is hoped that a decisive action following this more natural course would be the best solution for all parties involved, leaving the Argentine the liberty to join the Red Devils, which is believed a wish close to his heart, apart from heading back to Tottenham.
The report also alleges that Pochettino was seriously desirous of leaving PSG last summer, despite him never formally announcing his desire to depart and sources close to the former Spurs manager claim that he is eager to return to the Premier League, and allegedly has his heart set now on Old Trafford.
“To be honest, I would love to work in the Premier League,” he told Sky Sports while out of work in February.
“It’s going to be difficult, I know, and for now it’s a moment to wait and we’ll see what happens.
“It’s a moment of recovery, to think about yourself a little bit, and to be ready because in football always something can happen and you need to be ready.
“I’m ready and waiting for a new challenge. I have the belief and confidence that the next challenge will be fantastic.”