Jose Mourinho is under intense pressure after a summer of public rowing with Paul Pogba and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.
United only brought in Fred, Diogo Dalot and Lee Grant in the summer transfer window, despite Mourinho’s desperation to sign a top-class central defender, and a 3-2 defeat to Brighton raised tensions inside the club further still.
While Mourinho has no plans to step down from his position as manager, United’s board have already drawn up a list of possible replacements which includes former Real Madrid boss Zidane.
According to The Daily Mail, Zidane has told friends that he expects to receive an offer from United if Mourinho loses his job in the coming months. He’s also made it clear that he is interested in the role should it be made available this season.
‘Why would we discuss him when there is no job available?’ a senior source at United said when discussing the speculation surrounding Zidane.
Zidane has been out of a job since leading Madrid to a third successive Champions League title at the end of May. The French icon was earmarked as Didier Deschamps’ potential successor but the side’s World Cup triumph has quashed those rumours.