Tag: England

Ralf Rangnick to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United as interim manager

Michael Carrick’s time at the helm of affairs at Manchester United will not last any longer as the Red Devils have signed up Ralf Rangnick to be interim manager for the next six months.

The 63-year-old German, who started his coaching career at just 25 in 1983, will be signing up to train the Red Devils for the next six months with a future two-year consultancy role at the club.

As it stands, Rangnick is still the head of sporting development at Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow, and Manchester United are finalising talks to free the German and bring him to Old Trafford.

Michael Carrick, however, will lead the team to London as they attempt to bounce back from their 4-1 defeat by Watford in the last matchday.

Fans react positively to Rangnick’s appointment

Ralf Rangnick is a one-of-a-kind football manager and director. The father of the ‘gegenpress’ changed the way football is played in Germany and has influenced many coaches including Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp and Chelsea’s Thomas Tuchel.

His time as Red Bull football director for Salzburg and Leipzig – who he coached on two different occasions – made them into Champions League material. ‘The Professor’, as he is fondly referred to in Germany, is a manager with expert knowledge of player management, which helps each player on the path to fulfilling their true potential.

Manchester United fans are excited and looking forward to having Rangnick at their team. Twitter is agog with video clips, statements and comparisons of Ralf Rangnick’s style of play to the best of managers in the world.

Football icon Gary Lineker believes it’s a smart appointment for United.

https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1463912024283492360?t=UUmYfRfNU0DjrlDSxybcUQ&s=08

Liam Paul Canning, Manchester United reporter, wants the appointment to be made permanent.

https://twitter.com/LiamPaulCanning/status/1463890279354834944?t=-zbhGhFbSLoS_j3FEqLFmQ&s=08

This fan hopes that Manchester United can end their Pochettino pursuit and move aggressively for Erik Ten Hag to come and work with Rangnick when the German’s interim spell is up.

https://twitter.com/UtdFaithfuls/status/1463859642472271883?t=OtWL5DiqPl3YLK9pB9U5Sw&s=08

However, not every fan is totally on board with the appointment due to past disappointments with high profile managers. This fan is worried that all the Klopp and Tuchel references seem only to be coming from Rangnick himself.

https://twitter.com/aashin23/status/1464107839350194176?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

And this fan is worried that someone as good as Rangnick cannot be followed up by a Pochettino appointment, for many reasons.

https://twitter.com/sgevans/status/1464134564201259024?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

The German is, at the time of writing, currently in England to finalise the move from Lokomotiv Moscow to Old Trafford while the club continues to iron out the deal that will see him switch jobs.

Lars Kornetka, a long-time collaborator with Rangnick at Schalke, Hoffenheim and Leipzig, has been reported to be the new assistant coach of Manchester United under Rangnick’s interim rule. Kornetka also worked with Nagelsmann at Leipzig and with Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich.

Ralf Rangnick’s appointment to shake up United dressing room

Ralf Rangnick is a manager with a very clear vision. He knows the players he wants for his system and is always ready to do away with those who don’t fit his style of play without sentiments. One of such players is Paul Pogba.

In an interview with Goal in 2017, Rangnick stated plainly that he would not have Pogba in any team he manages. Instead, he talked up Naby Keita as his preferred option in the middle of the park. Naby Keita would eventually join Liverpool in the 2018/19 season to play under Jurgen Klopp, who employs the same style of football as Rangnick.

Paul Pogba’s contract with United is almost up and talks about a renewal have hit a roadblock. With Rangnick now at the wheel, United fans may be seeing the last of Paul Pogba.

Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner emerge as options for Barcelona

Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner are reportedly on Barcelona’s radar, according to surprising reports.

Barcelona is in the market for a forward and at the top of their list is Raheem Sterling of Manchester City, who has found game time at the Etihad a little hard to come by this season.

It’s not the first time Barcelona is inquiring about the Englishman, however. The club made a move for him last summer but the £45 million price tag was enough to scare Barcelona – who is currently dealing with a financial crisis – away.

The injury crisis at the Catalan club is forcing the management to look for options to shore up their attack in January, however on a temporary basis. Raheem Sterling’s name has come up again but it has now been reported that the deal may be as difficult as it was in the summer.

This has made Barcelona turn their sights to Chelsea’s Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech, who, according to ESPN, the club’s management have earmarked as backups to the Manchester City forward.

Ziyech and Werner finding life tough in England

Since both forwards moved to Chelsea last season from Ajax Amsterdam and Red Bull Leipzig respectively, they have found life difficult.

Ziyech’s time at Chelsea has been marred mostly by injury which kept him on the sidelines for most of the first season. Werner, meanwhile, enjoyed life under Frank Lampard but has struggled to convince fellow German, Thomas Tuchel, now at the helm of affairs at Chelsea.

Under Tuchel this season, Ziyech has made 11 appearances for the UEFA Champions League title holders this season but has started only two of those games. Werner on the other hand has made just nine appearances, with six of them coming as a starter. The German forward has also battled some fitness issues but still hasn’t quite managed to convince his compatriot enough to return him to the starting lineup like in the Lampard era.

Barcelona, however, is only interested in a loan offer for these players, as the club’s finances will not allow them to hit the market the way they usually would.

It is worthy of note that Barcelona has been following Hakim Ziyech, who was a member of that brilliant Ajax team of 2018/19, for quite a while and passed up the chance to sign him due to the Eredivisie club’s valuation of the winger at that time.

Chelsea is reported to be open to a loan deal for the Moroccan, however, presenting Barcelona the chance to finally get their man.

Barcelona’s lack of funds may hinder any positive transfer business

The Joan Laporta administration took over a Barcelona that was almost run to the ground by the J.M. Bartomeu administration. The club is billions of Euros in debt, and are struggling to keep the sporting project alive.

Making any signings in the coming winter and summer window at least will be determined by how much of their wage bill they can free up, as they only have a meagre €97 million operating budget for the whole of 2021/22.

Mateu Alemany has already stated to the press that the club is unable to register any new signings as things stand when the transfer window opens in the new year, including Dani Alves who signed on a free earlier in November 2021.

It remains to be seen how much of their current wage bill they can free up to support the signing – on loan or otherwise – of any new players.

 

Manchester City step up contract talks with Raheem Sterling

Raheem Sterling’s contract at Manchester City is in its final 18 months and the Citizens could risk losing him for free if a deal is not struck soon.

Many clubs have been circling around the Etihad, monitoring the forward’s situation. Chief among those is {statorium_player pid=undefined tid=undefined sid=undefined text=”Barcelona”}, who had earlier taken Sergio Aguero off their hands.

New reports from The Telegraph have now emerged that Manchester City is preparing to step up the contract talks between the club and the player’s entourage due to this interest from Barcelona which has reportedly caught Sterling’s fancy.

Sterling has fallen out of favour at the Etihad following the big-money arrival of Jack Grealish from Aston Villa at the beginning of the season and has struggled for game time this season.

He is currently enjoying some game time due to the injuries sustained by both Jack Grealish and Phil Foden, who was already threatening his place in the squad from last season, in addition to Kevin De Bruyne’s absence through coronavirus.

He scored only his fourth goal of the campaign against Paris Saint-Germain on matchday 5 of the 2021/211 UEFA Champions League.

Sterling marked the Pep Guardiola era at Manchester City

Raheem Sterling joined Manchester City from Liverpool in 2015 in a move that surprised and angered the fans of the Merseyside club.

The young Englishman had just begun to get noticed in world football after a blistering season with Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge. However, he forced a move to the Etihad, helping Liverpool pocket a fee of around £50 million and making him the most expensive English player of all time.

Sterling hit the ground running at Manchester City and soon became a key member of the squad. Pep Guardiola arrived the following season and decided to build his team around Sterling, Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne.

That choice paid off for the Spaniard, as Manchester City morphed into England’s most dominant team in that period, and a proper threat in Europe.

Sterling’s evolution under Guardiola also saw him become a key member of the Three Lions of England squad. He has since performed great feats for the English national team, including playing a key role in the Three Lions’ run up to the Euro 2020 final, their first final in over three decades.

When the time comes to look back, no player will epitomise Pep Guardiola’s time at Manchester City more than Raheem Sterling (alongside a few others).

Two other players may leave City in January with Sterling

Bernardo Silva and Nathan Ake are names that have popped up on the transfer speculation machinery as players who may be moved on from City this season alongside Raheem Sterling.

Jack Grealish arrived and Bernardo Silva was the man who was expected to make way for the £100 million man. However, the little Portuguese has been the best player for Manchester City this season and has made himself a must-pick for every game in every competition.

Nathan Ake has been a little more than a squad player since he joined City. He was never expected to start over John Stones, Aymeric Laporte or even Ruben Dias. He has, however, only succeeded in playing a handful of games in his one-and-a-half season for CIty.

While Nathan Ake’s exit may be expected, Bernardo Silva’s exit will definitely shock Manchester City fans and Raheem Sterling’s exit will be very emotional as it will mean the loss of a second key figure in the Guardiola era.

 

Granit Xhaka chooses next destination after Arsenal

Granit Xhaka has been speaking about his future while recovering from the knee injury he sustained at the beginning of the season.

The Swiss international hopes to make a return to the German Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach after his contract with Arsenal runs out.

Xhaka joined the Gunners in 2016 – the same year that Mikel Arteta retired from football as Arsenal {statorium_player pid=undefined tid=undefined sid=undefined text=”Arsenal”} captain – from Monchengladbach for £35 million at 23 years old after 108 appearances for the German side which he joined from Swiss side, Basel.

He has played 165 games for the Gunners so far, scoring nine goals including some Puskas-worthy strikes, and created 15 goals for his teammates in that period.

Arsenal almost lost Xhaka at the beginning of the season, however, as there was a breakdown in contract talks with the midfielder. He eventually ended up signing a contract to keep him at the club until 2024, delighting many Arsenal fans and annoying quite a few.

Xhaka is currently recovering from an injury that he picked up in Arsenal’s win over Tottenham Hotspur on matchday four of the season and is on the road to a full recovery. He is expected to be back in training by January but will have to contend for his place in the midfield with Thomas Partey and Albert Sambi Lokonga, who have both slotted in seamlessly into the spot he left vacant.

Money not a motivation for leaving Borussia Monchengladbach, says Xhaka

A £35 million for a player was among the top spend back in 2016, but Granit Xhaka has claimed that his move to Arsenal was to fulfil a dream, and not to earn more money.

The 29-year-old laid it all bare while speaking with Mit Geredet Podcast. “I never made the move from Borussia to {statorium_team tid=”9″ sid=”112″ text=”Arsenal “}for the money. It was a dream for me to play in England.

“I have just extended my contract, which still has two and a half years to run. Then I’ll be 32, and if Max Eberl (Monchengladbach’s director of sport) is willing to bring me back when I’m 32, my door will be open.”

Xhaka injury may cause problems for Arteta in January

Granit Xhaka’s return to training is slated for January, but may not b enough to help Mikel Arteta avoid a potential midfield meltdown that could occur after both Thomas Partey and deputy holding midfielder Mohammed Elneny leave the team to represent their nations at the 2021 African Cup of Nations.

Arteta will only be left with Albert Sambi Lokonga and Ainsley Maitland-Niles as Xhaka recovers, and the club may be either forced to rush his return or go into the market for another midfielder. If the latter option is chosen.

It’ll lead to another dilemma when Xhaka fully recovers and Arsenal’s African contingent come back from international duty, and Arteta needs to make squad selections.

How Arteta manages to handle this will be a testament to his skills as a manager and will go a long way in helping him retain the confidence of the Arsenal board, as calls for his sack continue to intensify among Arsenal’s fanbase.

Liverpool contracts talks with Sadio Mane and Mohammed Salah progressing

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has reported a breakthrough in contract talks between Liverpool and their two key stars, Sadio Mane and Mohammed Salah.

Speaking on his podcast, the Here We Go podcast, Fabrizio Romano said: “We always talk about Mo Salah and Liverpool are still in talks with him, let’s see when it will be agreed and when everything will be in place, but at the moment they’re still in talks. 

“I wanted to add that the Liverpool board are also prepared to meet Sadio Mane and his agents to discuss his new contract.

“This is an important update for Liverpool because we always talk about Salah being out of contract in 2023, but also Sadio Mane is out of contract in 2023.

“Liverpool are preparing the first approaches with Mane to enter into this contract story.

“Let’s see if they are able to do it with Salah and also with Mane, but this is the plan for Liverpool to talk and to protect Mane because many clubs are keeping tabs on the situation.”

Lack of transfer activity at Liverpool frustrating fans

Since the Fenway Sports Group (FSG) took over Liverpool, the transfer activity at the club has been underwhelming. Many players have come, flopped and gone in this period, and this looks to have made the group extremely meticulous about who they bring into the club.

This has also led to a few transfer windows with little or no transfer activity, to which fans have reacted furiously a number of times. Centre-back Ibrahima Konate was Liverpool’s only business in a summer that saw a lot of amazing transfer activity by clubs all across Europe, most notably PSG who signed Lionel Messi and Manchester United who signed Cristiano Ronaldo.

Fans had some very colorful words this season especially, after being given false hope following an equally quiet 2020/21 summer and winter transfer window.

FSG came out to explain their lack of transfer window activity after angry fans reacted to the way the 2021/22 summer window went.

“Half of transfers fail,” Dr Ian Graham, director of research for Liverpool stated. This statement is a result of analytics of transfers at major clubs, including Liverpool.

Not that Liverpool has any need for these transfers anyway, as their academy products have more than stepped up to fill the slots that needed to be filled. Players like Curtis Jones, Neco Williams, Harvey Elliott, Caoimhin Kelleher have been awesome replacements in the middle of the park and in between the sticks.

Their core squad is also as reliable as they have always been, turning in wonderful performances week in week out like a well-oiled machine. Most of them have also committed their long-term futures to Liverpool as well, which will give fans hope for more amazing performances.

With the news of Salah’s and Mane’s renewal talks progressing, fans can rest easy for the meantime. However, FSG will still be looked at with scrutinising eyes by the Liverpool fans who would love for their club to challenge like other clubs in attracting top talents from all across the world.

Liverpool to play without four key players in January

The 2022 African Cup of Nations will be held in January and Liverpool will be losing their African contingent of Sadio Mane, Mohammed Salah and Naby Keita to the tournament.

These are key players for Jürgen Klopp’s side, and with Salah and Mane leaving in January to represent their countries, the Reds will only be left with Takumi Minamino, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Divock Origi, and injury-prone forwards Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota.

Jurgen Klopp will have to get every detail right in the absence of these key players and hope that whatever fix he has will be enough to keep Liverpool fighting to reclaim their crown from Manchester City and new title challengers, Chelsea.

Antonio Conte eyeing up move for Manchester United’s Eric Bailly

Antonio Conte is preparing to bolster his Tottenham Hotspur squad in the January transfer window and one of his targets is  Manchester United defender Eric Bailly.

Antonio Conte became the head coach of Spurs on November 2, 2021, after being touted as a potential replacement for sacked Manchester United manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, in a move that surprised the football world.

It’s still too early to judge the Italian’s impact at the North London club, but Spurs fans are beginning to see the impact of his team selection and tactics. Now the 52-year-old is looking to bring in the type of players that fit his style of football, and Eric Bailly is top of his list, according to reports.

The 27-year-old Ivorian defender has had a torrid time at Manchester United due to injuries since joining the Red Devils over five seasons ago, with some of those injuries keeping him out for more than half of a season.

He has now fallen out of favour at United despite being fit enough to play this season, with only 45 minutes of Premier League football under his belt and 17 total Premier League appearances in the last three seasons.

Reports have now claimed that Antonio Conte has held discussions with the Tottenham Hotspur management to sign the defender in January.

Conte is a big fan of Bailly, Duncan Castles says

Speaking on The Transfer Window Podcast, football reporter Duncan Castles claims that Conte really admires the qualities of Eric Bailly.

“One of the individuals they’re in discussion about, although as I understand it, no offer has been made at this point, is Manchester United player, Eric Bailly,” Castles said in the November 24, 2021 episode of the podcast.

“He is someone who Conte likes, and was looking at as a possible recruit at Inter. He is obviously one of the players who got the roughest handling firm Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, extremely unhappy with the way he was treated by Solskjaer, felt that it was ridiculous that Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof were continually selected ahead of him almost regardless of what they did on the pitch.

“He actually expressed that after the Leicester defeat.”

However, Castles admits that it won’t be as easy as it would’ve been to take Eric Bailly off United’s hands now that Solskjaer has left the club, which implies that Eric Bailly could’ve been open to the move seeing as he was dissatisfied with the Norwegian’s handling of him.

“Bailly is not pushing for a move away,” Castles said. “He wants to prove himself at Manchester United. He looks at the players there and believes he is better than at least two of the regular starting centre-backs and now, we will see if he can get the opportunity under a new coach.”

Antonio Conte looks to shore up Spurs defence with two new centre-backs.

Antonio Conte is not looking at only Eric Bailly for his defence, according to Castle. The Italian wants to sign two centre-backs in the January transfer window.

Spurs’ defence has been particularly poor this season due to injuries and general form. Castles said that Conte wants to quickly get his five-at-the-back system working quickly and that two centre backs will help speed up this process.

Antonio Conte is credited with bringing the 3-5-2 formation back to life since its natural death at the turn of the millennium. He has won countless titles with this formation and has inspired a lot of managers who have added their own twists to the formation.

Spurs fans can look forward to seeing this formation work in their team as they have the perfect players for the system, but its quick implementation will depend on Conte getting his centre-backs.

Messi, Ronaldo, Lewandowski headline the FIFA best nominee list: Manchester United star missing

The 11-man shortlist for the FIFA Best Men’s player of the year award has been released, and the usual suspects are the headliners.

Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, Cristiano Ronaldo lead the nominations, with Kevin De Bruyne, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Mohammed Salah the other expected names on the list.

The rest of the 11-man shortlist sees N’Golo Kante, Erling Haaland, Jorginho and Karim Benzema replace Sadio Mane, Sergio Ramos, Virgil Van Dijk and Thiago Alcantara from last year’s nominees’ list.

Robert Lewandowski beat eight of the current nominees to the award last year won the award last year, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi coming second and third in the polls. He returns alongside Messi and Ronaldo to battle for the title of The Best men’s player of 2021 after a blistering year with the German Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

However, the most notable absence from the 2021 nominees list is Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United and Portugal, whose brilliant season individually saw him earn a Ballon D’Or nomination slot for 2021.

Bruno Fernandes was key to Manchester United’s second-place finish in the Premier League last season, and also the major driving force behind their charge to the Europa League title, which United, unfortunately, lost out on after an intense penalty shootout.

Bruno Fernandes the shining light in a dull Manchester United side.

The Portuguese midfielder has started the 2021/22 season on a good note as well for both Manchester United and Portugal, picking off from where he left off last season.

He ended the 2020/21 Premier League season in the top three for goals, assists, and chances created. He was also United’s main attacking threat in the Europ League, scoring five goals and providing four assists as they reached the final of the competition.

This season, he has picked up where he left off leads the chance creation stats at Manchester United and is currently the biggest attacking threat in the Champions League.

https://twitter.com/goal/status/1462874764612194310?t=K_nvhUbV1_FbTQByzVs36w&s=08

He also played a key role in Portugal’s run-up to the qualifier playoffs for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar by creating the most chances for Portugal.

https://twitter.com/FernandesZone/status/1461332440291721223?t=F2lzaN-GoS16Bn5CJQFmjA&s=08

However, he can take solace in his nomination for the 2021 Ballon D’Or as an acknowledgement of his strong season.

“Of course, as a kid, you dream to be in the middle of the best,” Fernandes told Manchester United’s official website (via Eurosport)

“For me, being nominated for the Ballon d’Or, even if I know I will not win it, makes me feel proud, and for everyone who has been on this long journey [with me]. I’m just really happy for that.”

Other nominees for The Best FIFA awards

Jurgen Klopp misses out on this year’s nominees for The Best men’s coach, but the award will be going to either one of Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Hansi Flick (Bayern Munich/Germany), Lionel Scaloni (Argentina), Antonio Conte (Inter Milan/Tottenham), Thomas Tuchel (Chelsea), Roberto Mancini (Italy) or Diego Simeone (Atletico De Madrid).

Alisson Becker will battle it out with Gianluigi Donnarumma, Edouard Mendy, Manuel Neuer and Kasper Schmeichel for The Best Men’s Goalkeeper.

A public vote will run until 11:59 PM CET on December 10, after which three finalists in each category will be announced ahead of the ceremony on January 17.

Arsenal set to lose Alexandre Lacasette for free next summer: Newcastle interested in French striker

Alexandre Lacazette is out of contract with Arsenal at the end of the season and there are no talks ongoing to renew the striker.

However, the player’s talents cannot be called into question as a host of suitors are lined up to take the French striker off Arsenal’s hands, including the newly-acquired Premier League club, Newcastle United.

The Sun claims that the Magpies are keeping close tabs on the situation as the striker’s salary demands prevent Arsenal from going into renewal talks with him.

Under his current deal, Lacazette earns £200,000 per week at Arsenal. However, Newcastle United will have to battle AC Milan, Atletico Madrid and Marseille for the Frenchman’s signature if a deal isn’t reached with Arsenal soon.

Newcastle looking to go big in January 2022 transfer window

The Magpies have been linked with a lot of players since the takeover of the club by the Saudi Arabia-backed investment consortium, led by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, in October.

The club has sanctioned a £50 million transfer budget for January, and have made Tottenham’s Harry Winks their prime target for the transfer window, according to reports.

Juventus’ versatile 23-year-old American, Weston McKennie is also a potential target for Newcastle United in January. The versatile midfielder has been offered to Tottenham, but the Bianconeri could be open to a loan for the player in January, and Newcastle is ready to swoop in if the opportunity comes knocking.

Alexandre Lacazette is the latest player on their radar, especially with Arsenal’s reluctance to discuss a new deal for the 30-year-old striker who now occupies a squad role.

Meanwhile Arsenal boss, Mikel Arteta, has returned the Frenchman to the starting line-up in the past three games and he has played very well.

Speaking on the striker’s contract situation, the Arsenal manager said: “I am really happy with what Laca is doing at the moment. But we are not going to be talking about new contracts until the end of the season.”

Gunners eyeing German wonder kid as Alexandre Lacazette replacement

Karim Adeyemi is the name on everybody’s lips right now in the football world. He has seen a host of suitors from all across Europe, most notably Barcelona whose interest in the 19-year-old striker has reportedly gone beyond scouting.

https://twitter.com/pedrogva6/status/1460679764092628997

Arsenal is now reported to be eyeing up a deal for the young German who they see as the perfect replacement for the 30-year-old Lacazette. The new German international, who is currently contracted to Red Bull Salzburg in Austria, has enjoyed a magnificent start to the season.

He has scored 11 goals in 14 Austrian Bundesliga games and has also scored four goals in six games in the Champions League for Salzburg (qualifier layoffs and group stages).

Harald Lurzerg, president of Red Bull Salzburg admitted to Bild that Adeyemi will probably move on next summer, and Arsenal is keen on landing the 19-year-old.

Zinadine Zidane edges closer to dream PSG job

Former Real Madrid boss, Zinedine Zidane, who is on a sabbatical from management, is edging closer to his dream Paris Saint-Germain job as Mauricio Pochettino looks to be closer than ever to the Manchester United job.

Marca (via Express UK Sport) reports that a number of PSG players believe that Pochettino will be leaving the club in the coming weeks after the discussion of the Manchester United job came up among the members of the PSG squad.

Pochettino has replaced Zinedine Zidane as the top preferred candidate for the Manchester United job after the Frenchman rejected the offer yet again following the sack of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Zidane reportedly has his eyes on either the French national team or the PSG jobs and will come out of his sabbatical earlier if either of these jobs is offered to him.

https://twitter.com/PSGhub/status/1462763616705425408

After the discussion with the squad, as reported, the PSG players are looking forward to having Zidane manage them if Pochettino eventually departs for Manchester United in the coming weeks.

Daily Mail claims that Pochettino is unhappy at PSG due to his struggles to manage the big egos in the club’s dressing room, and his family not being close to him in Paris as they’re still in England.

Zidane and PSG: A perfect match

The World Cup-winning former France midfielder is still a hero in his home country and will be a perfect match for PSG.

PSG have had their eyes set on the UEFA Champions League for a long time now, and hiring a manager with Zidane’s resume is going to be a smart move for the club.

Zidane’s arrival could also be key to getting Kylian Mbappe to commit his future to the club for at least one more season. Kylian Mbappe has made known his desire to move to Real Madrid, and Zidane, while he was in charge of the Spanish giants, never hid his wish to manage the young French forward.

If Zidane ends up managing PSG this season, it could be the key to keeping Mbappe at Parc de Princes, a wish that the PSG management has had for months now.

Zidane is also an experienced manager when it comes to dealing with big dressing room egos. PSG currently employ the services of Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Angel Di Maria, Marco Veratti, Gianluigi Donnarumma, among others.

Back at Madrid, Zidane had to manage the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Toni Kroos, Karim Benzema, among others. A manager with his experience can bring cohesiveness to PSG, who sometimes struggle to look like a team.

Sir Alex Ferguson leading calls for Pochettino to replace Solskjaer at Manchester United

Many sources have claimed that Pochettino was pushed up the new manager target list by former boss and member of Manchester United board of trustees, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Despite all the negative news surrounding Pochettino at PSG, he has them sitting at the top of Ligue 1 with an 11-point gap between them and second-placed OGC Nice.

Ferguson has once described Pochettino as a manager with composure. “Well, the manager has been fantastic,” Ferguson said in 2016 about Pochettino, who was only two years into his reign as Tottenham Hotspur boss at the time.

“They have a bad record of managers, there is no doubt about that. They have had so many over the years, but this lad has composure. You never see him ruffled and the way his team plays is a testimony to the work he is doing.”

Zinedine Zidane turns down Manchester United job

Zinedine Zidane has reportedly turned down the latest advances from Manchester United following the sack of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, citing unpreparedness as his reason.

Zidane, alongside Mauricio Pochettino, Brendan Rodgers and Erik Ten Hag, has been a leading candidate for the United job even while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was at the wheel.

The Glazers are reported to have sanctioned the move for Zidane immediately after Solskjaer’s sack was made official, but the Frenchman’s unwillingness to move his life to England has put a roadblock between him and United. It is also reported that his wife isn’t too keen on the move to England.

Mauricio Pochettino could be key to Zidane’s return to management

Earlier reports claim that Zidane will only come out of his sabbatical earlier than planned if the France national team or the PSG job becomes available anytime soon.

TalkSPORT reports that Sir Alex Ferguson is leading the charge to bring current PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino to Old Trafford, while the club’s management is leaning more towards Zidane.

Pochettino is under contract with PSG until 2023. While the Argentine manager has played down the Manchester United talks, a positive response from him could see the three-time UEFA Champions League-winning manager back in action.

At PSG, Zidane will be managing his former captain at Real Madrid, Sergio Ramos, Kylian Mbappe, who he had tried to get for Real Madrid during his time as manager, and Lionel Messi, who he battled for four years across two stints in the El Clasico rivalry.

United should have never appointed Solskjaer, says Jamie Redknapp

Meanwhile, Jamie Redknapp has slammed Manchester United for appointing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the first place, likening the sack of the Norwegian to “shooting Bambi.”

Solskjaer’s impressive run of eight straight wins as caretaker boss after the sack of José Mourinho in the 2018/19 season earned him a contract which later turned into three-and-a-half seasons as United manager.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp came for United’s jugular after the sack was made official. “This hasn’t crept up on Man United, I’ve seen this for a long while,” he said. 

“When you look at what Liverpool have got – Klopp, Man City – Guardiola, Chelsea – Tuchel, and you’ve got a manager that’s managed at Molde and Cardiff – at one of the biggest clubs in the world, it isn’t right.

“You’re almost fighting with one hand behind your back in the big occasions and I’ve never really felt he is the right fit.

“I said at the time, one day it’s going to be like shooting Bambi and that’s what it feels like. This should have happened weeks ago.”