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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Omar Garrick

Gary Neville has already hinted why Zinedine Zidane could be solution for Manchester United

As we come up to the end of the international break, we're still hearing about Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's future at Manchester United.

United's squad are back in training after the players and coaching staff were given the option to have a week off. Solskjaer returned to his native Norway, whilst the majority of the team were with their national teams.

MEN Sport understand Solskjaer is still on borrowed time as United manager and, although he looks unlikely to turn things around, the club are yet to identify an obvious replacement should they decide to make a change.

So, what next? This is the question that a lot of United supporters are asking themselves because at the moment, the situation remains very unclear.

Despite it being known that Solskjaer is likely to be in charge for United's match against Watford, there have been many reports linking the club to various managers.

From Brendan Rodgers to Erik ten Hag, there have been plenty of names floating around and the latest individual to be linked is former Real Madrid boss, Zinedine Zidane.

Zidane won 11 accolades during his managerial spells as Madrid manager, showing his winning mentality which United are desperately searching for at the moment.

The Frenchman is a free agent and probably the most sought-after manager on the market, but there's been no indication that he'd be willing to take Solskjaer's job.

Zidane is the most high-profile manager on the market at the moment (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images) ((Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images))

However, recent reports have claimed United are trying to tempt Zidane into taking the job and it would be strange to not try and persuade one of the most successful managers in the game to move to Old Trafford.

There is a split within the United fanbase about Zidane because people realise he had one of the best squads in the world when he managed Madrid. At the same time, when he won La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup in the 2019/20 season, people applauded him because it wasn't as strong as the team he managed when he won three Champions League titles.

Would Zidane be successful at Old Trafford? It is hard to answer that question, but if you were to say: 'would he win something at United with the current group of players?', I'd say yes. Why? We'd have to take a look at what former United player, Gary Neville, has said about the current group of players and where he's seen a similar dynamic work before.

Speaking after United's 4-2 defeat to Leicester last month, he said on Monday Night Football: "They’ve got six grenades where the pins have been pulled out in the dressing room.

“That can work,” Neville continued. “I’ve seen Vicente del Bosque do it at Real Madrid and Zinedine Zidane, where you have a collection of great players that win games in the moment. PSG are like it at the moment under Mauricio Pochettino – they aren’t really a Pochettino team. He’s got great players and big names.

“Ole has got a bit of that now. Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Edinson Cavani, Paul Pogba, Harry Maguire. Massive characters in the dressing room.

"Ole somehow has to bring that group together and find a basic, simple way of playing defensively where the players buy into it. And allow the talented players to win the game for him.”

United have a team that boasts superstars and at the moment, they need someone who can come in and manage all of them. Zidane already has that pedigree of being able to do that, not just because of his tactics and experience at Madrid, but also due to his name. It's Zinedine Zidane! One of the greatest players in the history of modern football!

Neville highlighting Zidane wasn't a 'come and get me' plea, but the fact he recognised his achievements which linked to the current situation at United does highlight the fact that he should be under consideration by the club.

It remains to be seen whether he'd want to move to United, but it would be some statement of intent.

Should United move for Zidane? Follow our United On My Mind writer Omar Garrick on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts on the matter in the comments section below.

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