Former Manchester United midfielder David Beckham recently picked legendary midfielder Zinedine Zidane as the best player he's ever played with. He played with the Frenchman during their time at Real Madrid for three years from 2003 to 2006.
During an interview on The Overlap, former Manchester United right-back Gary Neville asked Beckham:
"Best player you've ever played with?"
The former England international replied:
"Apart from you, Zidane."
Beckham joined Real Madrid from the Red Devils in 2003 for €37 million. Meanwhile, Zidane joined Los Blancos from Juventus for a then-world-record fee of €77.5 million in 2001.
The Frenchman is considered by many to be the best midfielder ever to grace the game and many even rate him as the best player ever. His elegance on the pitch while being able to dribble past players and create chances was a sight to behold.
He made an impact for the Spanish side in his first season as he helped them win their ninth Champions League title in 2002. He scored the winner in their 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen with a mesmerizing left-footed volley.
Overall, Zidane scored 122 goals and made 130 assists in 631 games throughout his club career for the likes of Real Madrid and Juventus. He won two Serie A titles, one La Liga title, one Champions League trophy and one FIFA World Cup, among many other trophies.
Zidane also won the Ballon d'Or in 1998.
Manchester United's first bid for Frenkie de Jong rejected
Barcelona have rejected Manchester United's bid of €60 million + €20 million in variables for midfielder Frenkie de Jong (via SPORT). The Blaugrana are demanding €80 million + bonuses for the Dutch international.
They started with €100 million but financial issues and the Red Devils' interest has pushed down their demands by a bit. It remains to be seen if Manchester United will match the Spanish side's demands.
De Jong has displayed his immense abilities since joining Barcelona from Ajax in 2019. He's made 139 appearances for the club in all competitions and has contributed 13 goals and 17 assists.
His quality was on display in the Netherlands' 2-1 win over Wales on June 8 in the Nations League. He came on in the 67th minute and was key in the Oranje's second goal in the 94th minute. He picked up the ball in his own half and surged forward as Wout Weghorst scored the winner.
It's no surprise that the Red Devils are interested in signing him this summer. They need someone of his ability in midfield and De Jong has also worked with Erik ten Hag during their time at Ajax.