Zinedine Zidane could be about to walk out on Real Madrid for a second time over the botched swoop for Paul Pogba.
France legend Zidane was desperate to sign midfielder Pogba this summer, with the feeling mutual with the Manchester United star.
He instructed president Florentino Perez to make securing the signing as a priority, but has so far been unable to do so - with the likelihood of a move diminished by the end of the Premier League transfer window last week.
Perez initially hadn't been keen to do a deal due to Pogba's huge wages, while Zidane wanted to freshen up his aging midfield.
The chief also clashed with Zidane over Gareth Bale's future - with Perez pulling the plug on a move to China after the Welshman had fallen out with the manager.
And despite a huge outlay on bringing Eden Hazard, Luka Jovic, Ferland Mendy and Eder Militao to the Bernabeu, Zidane could be set to quit Real.
“Not signing Pogba puts Zidane on the brink of resigning,” Spanish journalist Diego Torres told the Independent.
“Zidane personally promised Pogba he would bring him to Madrid, and now he is left looking bad.
“This has only increased the lack of confidence between Zidane and Florentino.
“For Zidane, his project and Pogba are almost the same thing. Nothing that he was promised has really come to pass.
“Zidane returned as a protective shield for Florentino, but he has already fulfilled that political and social mission.”
Zidane resigned as Real manager for a first time in 2018, days after the La Liga giants had lifted a third Champions League trophy in as many years.
He cited the club's "need for change" as the reason for his departure, but after horror spells under Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari, Zidane made his heroic return in March.
