Real Madrid and PSG have plenty of drama between them following the tipping point of the Kylian Mbappe transfer saga this summer. In the end, Los Blancos will almost certainly win out with Mbappe, who wants to join the club and can now do so for free. But the overall drama between these clubs won’t end any time soon.
A recent report from COPE’s Fernando Evangelio adds another interesting layer to the quiet rivalry between these two European powerhouses.
Although Zinedine Zidane has been closely linked to the Manchester United job with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer now out as manager, nobody really expects him to choose the once-proud Premier League giants. There is just too much organizational dysfunction at the top.
PSG is no different in many ways, as evidenced by their treatment of Mbappe. Yet that has not stopped them from showing interest in Zidane.
Could Mauricio Pochettino leave PSG for Manchester United?
Yes, Evangelio reports that the Parisians are interested in the legendary French footballer and manager as a possible short-term hire. But wait, you say, don’t they already have a touted manager in Mauricio Pochettino?
Well, Pochettino is failing to impress with the trio of Mbappe, Neymar, and Lionel Messi at his disposal and a host of other big-name summer signings like Achraf Hakimi.
More importantly, PSG apparently fear that “Poch” could be headed back to the Premier League, where he became a household name after leading Tottenham to title challenges both domestically and continentally.
PSG reportedly are not ruling out Pochettino taking the Manchester United job, leaving PSG to do so before his contract ends. And thus, the Ligue 1 leaders would like to target Zidane in case Pochettino were to leave. Perhaps, they would even make the French World Cup winner a massive offer to replace Pochettino at some point if he fails to deliver the goods. He may already be on a short leash with the club.
Zinedine Zidane should choose France over PSG
Zidane’s dream job and best destination remains the French national team, by all appearances. Newcastle, United, and now PSG are three clubs with major investment to show interest in the three-time Champions League-winning manager, but the Real Madrid legend has not shown the slightest inkling of interest in these jobs. Meanwhile, Juventus, another former club of his, could tempt him.
But France is worth the wait. PSG has money, but that is all. They can offer Zizou a chance to win, but they are a circus. It is also telling how they pushed out Thomas Tuchel, who then immediately won the Champions League at Chelsea.
PSG’s interest is worth monitoring from the perspective of Madridistas, but nobody should expect him to take the job. I cannot even imagine Zizou at a sportswashing project, but, as Messi taught us all this summer, everyone has their price. (Or was that Ted DiBiase who taught us that?)
