“You need to have this” - When Zinedine Zidane opened up on what he must do before potentially becoming Manchester United head coach

Former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane explained in 2022 the reason that could potentially hamper him from taking over as Manchester United boss. There was discussion around Erik ten Hag's future towards the end of the previous season, which eventually saw the Red Devils finish eighth in the Premier League.

They haven't started the new campaign particularly well either, having won just one of their first three league matches. Most recently, they suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Liverpool (September 1) and sit 14th in the standings.

Now, the Dutchman is under pressure once more at Old Trafford. However, it looks unlikely that Zidane could replace Ten Hag, with the former telling L’Equipe in 2022 (via Mirror):

"Certain conditions make things more difficult. When someone says to me 'Do you want to go to Manchester (United)?' I understand English but I don't fully master it.

"I know there are coaches who go to clubs without speaking the language, but I work differently. To win, many elements come into play. It's a global context. I know what I need to win. Of course, I might not always win, but I know that you need to have this, this and this."

The former France international has been without a job since leaving Real Madrid in the summer of 2021. He won three UEFA Champions League trophies and two La Liga titles, among other honors, during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.

For Ten Hag, Manchester United fans will be expecting a response when they face Southampton on September 14 after the international break.

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Fabrizio Romano provides Manchester United's stand on Erik ten Hag after poor start to the season

Erik ten Hag

Fabrizio Romano claims that Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has the backing of the higher-ups at the club despite a poor start to the 2024/25 league campaign.

The Red Devils' only win so far came against Fulham (1-0) through an 87th-minute strike from Joshua Zirkzee. Despite the unconvincing nature of these performances, Romano wrote in his Daily Briefing Column (via TeamTalk):

"The club have immediately been very, very clean on this. Both Omar Berrada and Dan Ashworth have backed Ten Hag, and whether this is the right decision for you or not is for you to decide."

Ten Hag took over as manager of Manchester United in the summer of 2022 and has remained in charge for 118 matches across competitions. He's delivered a Carabao Cup and an FA Cup each at Old Trafford.