INEOS turned to former Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick to take the reins for the rest of the season, employing him on an interim basis.
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United have enjoyed an improvement since Carrick’s arrival but the decision on who will get the permanent job in the summer is still up for debate.
A name to cross off the list
If performance levels remain high, Carrick will certainly be one of the favorites for the full-time role, but INEOS will no doubt think carefully about what is a big decision for the club.
A host of high-profile names have been linked with the role, but it looks like one long-standing target will be off the market by the end of the summer.
According to The Mirror, Zinedine Zidane has “verbally agreed” to become the coach of the French team at the end of the World Cup.
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Current coach Didier Deschamps will guide Les Bleus throughout the tournament, but his contract will expire when France’s participation ends.
Reports in France say Zidane will step into Deschamps’ shoes, with the latter stepping down after leading his nation to back-to-back World Cups, winning the famous trophy in 2018.
Zidane recently spoke about his possible return to the bench and referred to the national team position as his dream job.
“It will happen very soon. I would like to be the head coach of the French national team one day. I will surely coach again,” he said.
End of a saga
The news will not only be a boost to Carrick’s ambitions, but will end the long-standing flirtation between United and the former Real Madrid player, at least for now.
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Zidane has been regularly linked with the management of the Theater of Dreams, both before and after his successful time as coach in the Spanish capital.
However, despite the rumours, a deal never felt that close, and Manchester never attracted enough of the legendary Frenchman for him to make the move.
INEOS will no doubt be aware of developments, but will apparently be able to cross Zidane off their list as they continue to scour the world for the most suitable candidate.
Meanwhile, Carrick’s side will be hoping to continue their good form and further cement their place in the Premier League’s top four after a weekend of decent results so far.
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With Aston Villa and Chelsea dropping points, United’s maiden trip to the Hill-Dickenson Stadium on Monday night looks even more important, with three valuable points up for grabs against Everton.
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