Recent speculation suggests that Zinedine Zidane is on the verge of a surprising return to football management.
Since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, Zidane has been without a managerial role. Despite being linked with other clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, and Paris Saint-Germain, he hasn’t taken charge of another team.
Now, Zidane is reportedly close to becoming the new manager of Bayern Munich, replacing Thomas Tuchel, as per Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo.
Tuchel will leave Bayern at the end of the season following a disappointing domestic campaign, but he could exit the club with two Champions League titles to his name.
Mundo Deportivo reports that Zidane has sought assurances in the transfer market and has not finalized a contract due to “lack of specifics.”
Interestingly, Zidane has also been linked with taking over from Erik ten Hag at Manchester United in recent months. Former teammate Emmanuel Petit has claimed that Zidane has been learning English, and there have been suggestions that he could follow Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.
Given this background, Bayern’s interest in Zidane seems unexpected. Sources reveal that Bayern was negotiating a three-year contract with Julian Nagelsmann, the current coach of the German national team.
However, Nagelsmann recently signed a new deal with Germany until the 2026 World Cup, ending any chance of his return to Bayern, just over a year after the club sacked him.
Before leading Bayer Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title, Nagelsmann publicly committed to staying with the team. Bayern was also keen on recruiting their former player, Xabi Alonso.
