Zinedine Zidane’s return to management is imminent, with the France job supposedly his, but according to reports in Spain he has been heavily pursued by one Premier League club in the past.
Zidane’s resume speaks for itself, having guided Real Madrid to nine major honours during his five seasons at the helm – including a phenomenal three-straight Champions League titles (2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18).
He has been out of management since leaving Real at the end of the 2020-21 campaign but that hiatus is now set to end, according to AS.
The Spanish publication claim that the 53-year-old will manage France once this summer’s World Cup concludes, succeeding his former Les Bleus team-mate Didier Deschamps.
They claim that managing his country is one of only two jobs Zidane would return to management for, with the other being Real Madrid.
However, AS detail that hasn’t stopped other teams trying to recruit him over the years – with Chelsea among those.
Zinedine Zidane has been wanted by Chelsea to become their manager in the past, claim AS
The 53-year-old, who has managed at Stamford Bridge before when in charge of Real Madrid, is set to take the France job after the World Cup – the Spanish outlet report
It is unclear when the Blues have made advancements to Zidane, but AS state that they ‘strongly pursued the Frenchman’.
Since Zidane left Real, Chelsea have had eight different figures in their hotseat – either as permanent or interim bosses. They are Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Bruno Saltor (interim), Frank Lampard (interim), Mauricio Pochettino, Enzo Maresca, Calum McFarlane (interim) and current boss Liam Rosenior.
As well as Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Al-Hilal are two clubs who have reportedly tried to lure Zidane.
AS report that Al-Hilal ‘showered him with millions of euros’ to work in Saudi Arabia but their wealth failed to draw Zidane in.
