With the 2022/23 season set to enter its business end, speculations regarding the futures of players and managers are bound to pick up steam.
And, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is not to be spared from this as his continuity at the Santiago Bernabeu has been cast in doubt following the recent run of poor results.
Even though Los Blancos have won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup this term, there is a good chance that the Italian could be let go if they fail to lift any major trophy.
Replacements are already being lined up with reports throwing up the names of Mikel Arteta, Mauricio Pochettino and even Castilla manager Raul Gonzalez as possible candidates.
Amidst this, a fresh report from MARCA has introduced a new but familiar name into the picture in the form of Zinedine Zidane.
The France legend has already had two successful stints as manager at Real Madrid, but has been without a job since stepping down from his duties at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2021.
Zidane had dreams of taking over the France national team but that is no longer an option as Didier Deschamps will continue with Les Bleus.
Zidane is keen on returning to management but England and Germany are not viable options due to the language barrier while a move to Juventus, a club he holds dear, is unlikely due to their current situation.
PSG is a possible destination for the Frenchman, especially with pressure on Christophe Galtier following their latest debacle in the UEFA Champions League.
When it comes to Spain, though, Real Madrid would be the only option for Zidane. Even though the relationship between him and the club had strained at the time of his exit in 2021, things are understood to be much more fluid now.
The 2006 FIFA World Cup finalist considers the Bernabeu his home and even though his return would be very complicated, it is still a possibility, albeit a remote one.
For now, Ancelotti remains in charge of the team and will continue until the end of the season. But if there is a change of guard in the summer, a third stint for Zidane could be a distant possibility.
