Zinedine Zidane has once again refused to guarantee being Real Madrid boss next season.
And the Frenchman's future with the La Liga giants could have an impact on Arsenal who are keen to sign Martin Odegaard permanently in the summer transfer window following a successful loan spell.
But the attacking midfielder will almost certainly be affected if Zidane stays at the Santiago Bernabeu, chooses to leave, or is sacked.
Pressure has been growing on the legendary former midfielder who won three Champions Leagues in a row with Los Blancos in his first spell after a disappointing 2020/21 campaign.
His side trail rivals Atletico Madrid in the La Liga title race, failed to win the Copa Del Rey and were comfortably knocked out by Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final.
As a result, reports in Spain claimed Zidane was poised to quit Real Madrid for a second time as manager this summer.
However, the Frenchman has laughed off such suggestions.
"I'm sorry, I know what I say is boring, but it's true, I don't know what will happen," Zidane said in a news conference on Saturday, as per ESPN. "I'm here. Tomorrow we play. Then we have one game left. After that, anything could happen, because this is Real Madrid.
"I don't look at the past or future, it's the present."
With that said, Zidane appears to have fuelled speculation about his future when discussing his track record for surprise departures.
Not only did he leave Real Madrid after winning three Champions Leagues in a row, but in his playing days he retired in 2006 despite still having another year remaining on his contract at the Santiago Bernabeu.
So, could history repeat itself for the third time?
"You talk about me leaving in 2006 and as coach [in 2018] and you might think I walk away from responsibility, or I leave when things get complicated, but no, never," Zidane added.
"What I do is give everything, to the end, and then the moment comes to change, not just for me, for the good of the players too.
"I don't leave because it's easy. No, there are moments when you have to stay, and others when it's finished and you have to go, but not just for me, for everyone."
Zidane staying could stop the Gunners from signing Odegaard permanently after revealing that he wanted to keep the Norway international during the January transfer window.
"Odegaard? He wanted to leave, we talked two, three times about it," Zidane said, as quoted by the Mirror. "He wanted to play and I told him to stay and fight for his place.
"I wanted him back from his loan [at Real Sociedad last season] and I told him to stay because the season is still very long and he would have had his chances.
"But he wanted to leave and play. I really wanted him in my squad."
