NEWCASTLE’S mega-rich Saudi owners are considering a full takeover of Marseille… and want Zinedine Zidane as manager.
The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, which controls an 80 per cent stake at St James’ Park, have set their sights at L’OM and are confident a deal will be completed.
And according to FranceBleu, Zidane has agreed with the PIF to take over as manager at Velodrome but only if the takeover is complete.
That puts extra pressure on the Ligue 1 giants’ majority owner Frank McCourt to sell after a dismal start to the campaign.
Marseille failed to qualify for the Champions League after getting knocked out by Panathinaikos in the third round of the qualifying stages.
The French giants have also endured a poor start in the league as they are eighth with only two wins out of their first six matches, of which they lost one.
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That led to Marcelino quitting as manager after just seven matches following pressure from the club’s ultras.
Marseille have replaced the Spanish tactician with Gennaro Gattuso but the same report from France claims there will be a new head coach if the Saudis take over.
McCourt has repeatedly stated the club is not for sale but that hasn’t discouraged the Newcastle owners’ bid.
Zidane has been convinced by the potential owners’ vision of the club and was promised a substantial budget that would help him compete with the best clubs in the world.
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The French tactician would have the kind of support that would help him restore Marseille to their old glory, like back in 1993 when they won the Champions League.
The Real Madrid legend has been out of work ever since his departure from Santiago Bernabeu in 2021.
The 51-year-old has been linked with the France job but current manager Didier Deschamps has three more years left on his contract.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
