Zinedine Zidane famously stated that if he were ever appointed manager of Manchester United, he would sign four players. The Frenchman was certainly one of the finest players of his age on the field, but he also established a strong reputation off the pitch, thanks in large part to his three Champions League triumphs with Real Madrid.
Since leaving the Santiago Bernabeu, Zidane has been connected with a number of high-profile positions, including the French national team, Chelsea, and, of course, the Red Devils. His name is still spoken today as Ruben Amorim faces increasing pressure. However, when he was mentioned as a possible replacement for José Mourinho in 2018, he had a wishlist of four players he wanted to bring with him to the Theatre of Dreams.
Zidane’s Four-Man Manchester United shortlist
Zinedine Zidane famously stated that if he were ever appointed manager of Manchester United, he would sign four players. The Frenchman was certainly one of the finest players of his age on the field, but he also established a strong reputation off the pitch, thanks in large part to his three Champions League triumphs with Real Madrid.
Since leaving the Santiago Bernabeu, Zidane has been connected with a number of high-profile positions, including the French national team, Chelsea, and, of course, the Red Devils. His name is still spoken today as Ruben Amorim faces increasing pressure. However, when he was mentioned as a possible replacement for José Mourinho in 2018, he had a wishlist of four players he wanted to bring with him to the Theatre of Dreams.
Zidane’s Four-Man Manchester United shortlist
According to a story in The Mirror at the time, Zidane was one of the candidates the United management was considering if they decided to replace Mourinho. As it turned out, the Portuguese coach was fired shortly after, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over permanently after an extraordinary tenure as interim manager.
If things had turned out differently and the Frenchman had taken to the pitch in the North West, he is thought to have targeted four players: Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos, Bayern Munich duo Thiago Alcantara and James Rodriguez, and Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani.
Three of them would eventually go to the Premier League, with Kroos remaining in the Spanish capital before retiring in 2024 following a double-winning season that included the last of his six Champions League crowns.
Zidane had already worked with Rodriguez at Madrid, but the Colombian struggled to find his footing in the star-studded attack. While a reunion could have been on the cards in an alternate universe, the playmaker eventually joined Everton but failed to make an impact at Goodison.
Thiago would also go to Merseyside, joining Liverpool after the club won their first Premier League title in 30 years. While his technical ability was undeniable, the intensity of the league put too much strain on the Spanish international’s physique, and he would sustain numerous ailments before retiring.
Cavani would join United on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020.
Though fitness difficulties made him not always dependable, his performance as a number nine was far superior to what United fans had come to expect in recent years. That, paired with his unwavering work ethic, earned him a cult following at Old Trafford, with the Uruguayan even scoring in a Europa League final loss to Villarreal.
Cavani, who is 38 years old, continues to play in Argentina with Boca Juniors.
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