Zidane to Chelsea? Real Madrid legend's thoughts on Premier League switch

Suraj Radia

• 13 Feb 2023 16:53 GMT
• 2 min read

Zinedine Zidane has long been linked with a move to the Premier League, both as a player and a manager, but the Real Madrid legend has so far resisted the temptation to move to England.

However, despite being linked as a potential replacement for Graham Potter if Chelsea part ways with their manager, Zidane allegedly has no plans to move to England in the near future.

That is the opinion of ex-Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri, who insists that Zidane’s ‘energy does not match’ the Premier League and that he is more likely to end up managing his boyhood team Marseille.

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“When we talk about Madrid, Turin, these are the clubs that mattered to him,” Nasri said. “England is not something for him, it is not just a question of language. He finds that his energy does not match what is happening in England.

“With a real project, ambitions, tomorrow if there is a buyer with a real budget, he will go to OM. He won't be under pressure, it's his favourite club. PSG, there were noises, he did not go there because he is really from Marseille.”

What does the future hold for Zidane?

Zidane has been out of work since leaving Real in 2021 and has seemingly resisted the temptations to manage Paris Saint-Germain and the French national team among others in recent times.

Having spent five years as a player with Juventus, it is believed he would be a frontrunner to take over at the Serie A side if they eventually part ways with the under-pressure Max Allegri, although the club’s legal dispute over their finances could hinder the chances of a move.

CONDITION: What it would take for Zidane to return to Real Madrid

Zidane also turned down the PSG job last summer when Mauricio Pochettino was sacked, with Christophe Galtier eventually being appointed instead.

There was a belief that he would become France’s manager after the 2022 World Cup but Didier Deschamps instead extended his contract, while the country’s football federation president Noel Le Graet was forced to resign after making disparaging comments about Zidane’s apparent lack of interest in the role.

A third spell in charge of Real has also been mooted, with Carlo Ancelotti potentially set to leave his role at the end of the season, meaning Zidane may be back in work at one of his beloved clubs sooner rather than later.