The Dutchman’s position as manager has been the subject of considerable speculation, with United languishing in seventh place in the Premier League table and having been knocked out of the Champions League in the group stages. New minority stakeholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe has not publicly backed Ten Hag, leaving him to face regular questions about his future in press conferences.
Yorke, a member of the club’s famous 1998/99 treble-winning season, believes that Zinedine Zidane is the ideal candidate to turn things around at Old Trafford. Zidane has an impressive track record, having won three Champions League titles, two La Liga titles, and two victories in both the European Super Cup and FIFA World Club Cup during his time at Real Madrid.
Zinedine Zidane has not managed a club since leaving Real Madrid for the second time in 2021. During his tenure at Real, he managed iconic players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, and Sergio Ramos, leading the team to three consecutive European crowns.
Yorke emphasizes Zidane’s experience in managing a club of Real Madrid’s size as a critical factor for his potential appointment at United, and dismisses the idea of current England boss Gareth Southgate being a suitable candidate for the role. Despite turning down the opportunity to manage the USA following the 2022 World Cup and being linked with a move to PSG, Zidane has not commented publicly on the prospect of heading to Manchester, although the likelihood of Ten Hag departing is increasing.
Ten Hag himself showed signs of frustration in a recent press conference, clashing with journalists and defending his team’s performance.