Zinedine Zidane has spoken about taking Man Utd job as Ruben Amorim pressure cranks up

Zinedine Zidane has previously claimed he would need to master English before considering the Manchester United job. The legendary Frenchman has been repeatedly touted for the managerial role at Old Trafford.

Those rumours have resurfaced again, with Ruben Amorim's position appearing precarious among fans following United's 3-1 loss to Brentford at the weekend. The Portuguese manager has suffered defeat in 17 of his 33 Premier League matches and is yet to achieve consecutive victories at the club.

With fifth-placed Sunderland visiting on Saturday, former Red Devils legend Gary Neville believes the struggling boss could face the axe should the newly-promoted side claim all three points.

Though Amorim is understood to maintain backing from the Old Trafford hierarchy, speculation continues to swirl around his future – and potential successors. Zidane has consistently been mentioned as a prime candidate for the role, although he has expressed doubts previously.

Speaking about the prospect of managing in Manchester, he told L'Equipe in 2022: "Would I want to go to Manchester? I understand English, but I'm not completely fluent in it.

READ MORE: Oliver Glasner breaks silence on Man Utd links after being asked Ruben Amorim question

READ MORE: Man United stance on Xavi appointment made clear after Ruben Amorim decision

"I know that there are coaches who go to clubs without speaking the language, but I work in a different way. Many elements come into play in order to win, it is a global context. I know what I need to win."

Despite being currently unemployed, the Frenchman is heavily tipped to take over the France national team after the 2026 World Cup. Emmanuel Petit, a former teammate of Zidane and a Premier League legend, expressed his doubts about the ex-Juventus star's possible move to Manchester in 2024.

He said: "Honestly, I know a little bit, Zizou [Zidane], and he needs to get guarantees if he wants to sign over there in Manchester United.

"At the moment, the environment at Manchester United for years has not been good. The stability of the bench, the level of the players as well, the expectation of the club is not the same that it used to be.

"United is still a huge club, but not on the pitch anymore. And Zizou is very conscious and very careful about that, the quality of the players."

Petit added: "If he takes the job at Manchester United, that means he's got solutions. At the moment, I'm not sure a lot of people have the solution to turn the situation at Manchester United.

"Does he want to leave the sunny days of Madrid? His life is in Madrid, he is dedicated to Madrid. I'm not sure that he speaks very good English as well. And communication is very important in the dressing room."

Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp communityand receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.