Recent rumors suggest that Zinedine Zidane is on the verge of making an unexpected return to football management after his departure from Real Madrid in 2021.
Despite being linked with various clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, and Paris Saint-Germain, the 51-year-old has been out of managerial positions since leaving Los Blancos.
However, reports from Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo indicate that Zidane is close to taking over as the manager of Bayern Munich, replacing Thomas Tuchel.
Tuchel’s tenure at Bayern has been marked by a disappointing domestic season, leading to his decision to step down as manager at the end of the current campaign.
Despite this, Tuchel has achieved success on the European stage, winning the Champions League twice during his career.
However, Mundo Deportivo suggests that Zidane has not yet finalized his contract with Bayern, citing unspecified details that need clarification, possibly relating to transfer market guarantees.
Interestingly, Zidane had previously been linked with managerial positions at Manchester United and Liverpool.
There were even rumors suggesting that he was learning English, fueling speculation about a potential move to the Premier League.
However, Bayern Munich’s interest in Zidane appears to have emerged suddenly, taking many by surprise.
Previously, Bayern had been in talks to appoint Julian Nagelsmann, the current coach of the German national team, on a three-year deal.
However, Nagelsmann recently extended his contract with Germany until the 2026 World Cup, putting an end to Bayern’s pursuit of him.
Before Nagelsmann’s appointment, there were reports that Bayern was considering other options, including former Liverpool player Xabi Alonso.
However, Alonso eventually committed to staying with Bayer Leverkusen after helping them win their first Bundesliga title.
With Nagelsmann’s new contract in place, Bayern turned their attention to Zidane, potentially offering him the opportunity to return to management at one of Europe’s top clubs.
