I declined Man United job because I'm not fluent in English - Zidane reveals

Former Real Madrid boss, Zinedine Zidane, has revealed that he declined an offer to become Manchester United coach because he does not speak English fluently.

According to the football icon, being fluent in a language plays a major part in his decision-making to join a club, hence the decision to turn down offers from the Premier League.

He argues that familiarity with the language is one of the fundamentals that aid him in winning.

“Would I want to go to Manchester United? I understand English, but I’m not completely fluent in it. 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, and I know what I need to win,” he said, as quoted by Spanish outlet Diario AS.

Zidane was heavily linked to Manchester as a replacement for Erik Ten Hag, whose future was uncertain after the 2023/24 season.

However, reports emerged that the former French international rejected Man United to focus on his sabbatical leave from coaching.

Zidane has not held a managerial position since leaving Real Madrid in 2021 after his second spell.

EE/MA