Speculations linking Jose Mourinho out of Old Trafford keeps making rounds. The Portuguese gaffer is favourite to be the next manager to be sacked and bookmakers have been busy pricing up the odds for who his replacement will be when he leaves the club.
Here, Football Weeks take a look at the four leading contenders to replace Jose Mourinho when he leaves:
Zinedine Zidane – 8/11
The number one odds-on favourite for the job. Zinedine Zidane has been touted as Jose Mourinho’s replacement-in-waiting for some time now and the Frenchman’s résumé speaks highly of him.
The Real Madrid legend was a wonderful player during his days as a player and also showed how wonderful being a manager with his first top job management with Real Madrid. Zidane was appointed Real’s head-coach as replacement to Rafa Benitez in January 2016 and he duly won the Champions League titles three time as well as one La Liga title, before he resigned just five days after guarding Real to their 13th UCL titles against Liverpool in May.
Zidane, who cited his resignation was that he needed a change, has already won eight trophies as a manager. The French tactician was undoubtedly helped by the fact that he had Cristiano Ronaldo, the rising Marco Asensio and co. with him at Real Madrid, and it remains to be seen whether he could get a tune out of a limited Manchester United squad.
Antonio Conte – 9/1
Antonio Conte has been out of work since his exit from Chelsea in July. The Italian gaffer delivered the Premier League title to Chelsea in his first season in-charge, but his came up horribly shot last season as the campaign was played out to a backdrop of player discontent and complains about Conte’s defensive style of football. However, there are some Manchester United fans who have suggested that replacing Mourinho with Conte would almost be a wise move by the club.
Mauricio Pochettino – 14/1
Tottenham’s boss Mauricio Pochettino has shown he’s number one when it comes to getting the best out of young players, as seen by his development with Harry Kane and Dele Alli. Joining Man United, Pochettino would be gifted with a whole host of youngsters to work with at Old Trafford, although whether leaving Tottenham for a Manchester United side in turnmoil is another issue for concern.
The factor working against Pochettino is the fact that the Argentine hasn’t won any silverware yet, although he could count himself lucky to be the next to Zidane as favourite for Man United job.
Laurent Blanc – 20/1
Laurent Blanc, a former Manchester United defender, has forged a good as a manager, having enjoyed relative success with Bordeaux, the France national team and Paris St-Germain, who he left in June 2016.
Blanc has been without a job for more than two years since his last stint with Paris Saint-Germain and would surely jump at the chances of taking Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford.
That’s all we have on who could replace Jose Mourinho at Manchester United. You have a better option? Let us know below: