Kovacic spent three years at Real Madrid under Zinedine Zidane, having joined the club from Inter Milan in 2015. During his time in Spain, the 29-year-old made 109 appearances but did not play in any of Madrid’s three consecutive Champions League final wins from 2016 to 2018. In 2018, he joined Chelsea on loan before completing a permanent move in a £40million deal the following summer. Frank Lampard took over as Chelsea’s manager at the start of Kovacic’s second season in England.
Kovacic remarked that Zidane’s coaching style was similar to Lampard’s and suited him well during his time at Real Madrid. Zidane, renowned as one of the top managers of his generation, achieved two Club World Cup victories, two La Liga titles, and multiple European trophies with Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Lampard was relieved of his managerial duties at Chelsea in 2021 and was subsequently sacked by Everton two years later. Zidane, who left Real Madrid in May 2021, has been without a job since then.
Reports from L’Equipe indicate that Zidane is hesitant to commit to Bayern Munich until he observes the situation at Manchester United. United shareholder, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, might be keen on the possibility of bringing Zidane to Old Trafford. Zidane has expressed his preference to fully comprehend the language and culture of a club before joining, as he believes it enhances his chances of success.