Man Utd gave Zinedine Zidane a blank cheque to take over as manager.. he’s not in it for money, says Premier League icon
ZINEDINE Zidane rejected a blank cheque to join Manchester United as manager, according to his old team-mate.
Former Chelsea centre-back Marcel Desailly is adamant that Zidane is NOT driven by cash.
Zidane has been approached by some of the biggest clubs in the world since quitting Real Madrid after failing to win a trophy in 2021.
The World Cup icon was heavily linked with a move to Man Utd before, during and after Erik ten Hag‘s rollercoaster two years.
One of the reasons he supposedly turned Old Trafford chiefs down was becasue he didn’t feel confident speaking English.
A few years on and ahead of the upcoming 32-team Club World Cup, Zizou was offered an eye-watering £84million to commit to a one-year contract at Saudi Pro League runners-up Al-Hilal.
And his former team-mate Desailiy has revealed how difficult it is for club’s to persuade him to join, and where he’s likely to go next.
Desailly said: “Will Zinedine Zidane be tempted by Saudi Arabia?
“Well he had a blank cheque on the table from Chelsea and a blank cheque from Manchester United and turned them down.
“He isn’t in it for the money. I don’t see why money will change anything, I know privately that he won’t change his lifestyle.
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“He likes to travel and always keeps an eye on the France national team. He’s ready because Didier Deschamps has started the transition.
“France will be one of the favourites for the World Cup and win or lose it’s not the end of this era for France.”
Zidane is the only manager in the world to have won a staggering three Champions League titles in a row during his first spell with Real.
And he followed that up by lifting two LaLiga titles during his second stint, having only managed the Spanish giants.
Desailiy believes that Zidane is most attracted to the France job because they have a new generation of superstars, including Champions League hero Desire Doue.
He added: Since 2016, France have been growing and growing. New players have come into the team constantly and now they have the right guys.
“Rayan Cherki is one of them alongside Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe is still there and on top of his game.
“There is a real dynamic. William Saliba is in defence with Ibrahima Konate, Bayern have Dayot Upamecano.
“There is a squad and a philosophy and Zidane will know how to take that on to rebuild his own team. For another eight years at least France will be at the top level in Europe.”
Zidane made a £4MILLION investment into a new sport project in February, which turned out to be a new padel centre in France.
Zidane's managerial career
Zizou spent 18 months in charge of Real Madrid Castilla before being given his shot at the big time following the sacking of Rafael Benitez.
Zidane, 51, took charge of the first team in January 2016 and guided them to a second-place finish in his maiden season at the Bernabeu helm.
But he went one better in the Champions League, sealing Real’s 11th European Cup triumph with a shootout victory over Atletico Madrid.
The former Los Blancos star went one better in the league in the 2016-17 season, in which they also won the Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup.
A second successive Champions League triumph also followed, with Real beating Italian giants Juventus at the Principality Stadium.
He would create history the following season by becoming the first manager to win the tournament three times on the bounce.
A 3-1 win over Liverpool saw Real become the first team to win Europe’s elite club competition three times in a row.
Zidane announced his resignation five days after the final, insisting the club needed a “change” of direction.
He would return to the Bernabeu in March 2019 following Santiago Solari and Julen Lopetegui’s short reigns.
A return to the summit of Spanish football would follow in the 2019-20 season, in which Real also scooped the Spanish Super Cup.
Zidane would leave the Bernabeu again in June 2021 after overseeing Real’s first trophyless season in 11 years.
Zinedine Zidane’s Honours:
– La Liga: 2016–17, 2019–20
– Supercopa de España: 2017, 2019–20
– UEFA Champions League: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
– UEFA Super Cup: 2016, 2017
– FIFA Club World Cup: 2016, 2017