Sir Jim Ratcliffe 'prefers Zinedine Zidane over Thomas Tuchel' as next Man United manager

Thomas Tuchel may soon be unavailable as a potential replacement for Erik ten Hag at Manchester United, should he take up the role of England's new manager following reported discussions with the FA.

But has been suggested that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have another top-choice candidate in mind to succeed the Dutchman at Old Trafford. Despite surviving the sack after Tuesday's six-hour meeting between the club's decision-makers - including the three-person executive committee of Ratcliffe, Joel Glazer and Sir Dave Brailsford - in London, Ten Hag remains under intense scrutiny due to his record of just seven wins in United's last 30 games in the Premier League and Europe.

Tuchel is currently seen as the favourite to step in if United decide to make a change in the near future. The German coach had discussions with Ratcliffe in Monaco after leaving Bayern Munich in the summer, but these did not progress. It was reported that he wasn't Ratcliffe's ideal choice after completing his £1.3billion investment for a 28 per cent stake in United in February.

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Earlier this year, Foot Mercato reported that Ratcliffe, in line with his ambition to restore United to former glory, wanted to bring Zinedine Zidane to M16. The report suggested that INEOS dreamt of replacing Ten Hag with the Frenchman. Jean-Claude Blanc, now on the United board, is said to have tried to recruit him at Paris Saint-Germain, reports the Express.

Since his second resignation from Real Madrid in 2021, Zidane has been patiently waiting for the right opportunity. During his two tenures, the 52-year-old clinched two La Liga titles and three consecutive Champions League crowns from 2015 to 2018.

It's rumoured that he's biding his time for Didier Deschamps' tenure as France manager to conclude before stepping in. However, RMC reports that Deschamps has no plans to step down anytime soon, with his sights set on the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The current France boss, a World Cup winner in 2018, is reportedly hesitant to hand over his position to Zidane, fearing he may overshadow his legacy. Ratcliffe could seize the opportunity presented by Zidane's availability, particularly if Tuchel suddenly becomes unavailable.

United's main focus remains supporting Ten Hag, hoping for an immediate improvement in results after the October break. If there's no progress, his tenure might not extend beyond November's international break.

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