Zinedine Zidane’s legendary exploits as Real Madrid manager have put him on the radar of a number of top European clubs, with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) reportedly among his list of suitors.
According to Fichajes, PSG, Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur are among those interested in appointing the legendary former midfielder as their coach.
El Nacional has now reported that if Zidane indeed ends up in Paris, one of his first signings could be his compatriot Ferland Mendy. Zidane is a known admirer of the left-back and could look to bring him to the Parc des Princes.
Mendy is an undisputed starter for Los Blancos under Carlo Ancelotti. The player, however, wants an increase in his salary, something which Real Madrid are not too keen on offering.
Since his arrival in 2019, Mendy has made 124 starts for the Spanish giants, including 19 this season. The next few months, however, could very well be Mendy’s last at the club.
While Portugal’s Nuno Mendes has been impressive at left-back for the Parisians recently, Zidane could look to sign Mendy and add more depth to that position should he take over at PSG.
All these talks, however, are far-fetched. Zidane is yet to officially commit his future to any club. Christophe Galtier, meanwhile, is leading the PSG with conviction, establishing a settled defense and midfield while also getting the best out of the potent attacking trio of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar.
Real Madrid target spoke about facing PSG superstar Lionel Messi
Josko Gvardiol has emerged as a transfer target for Real Madrid after his spectacular performances during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Croat, however, could not manage to contain Argentina’s talisman Lionel Messi during their clash in the semifinals of the World Cup.
Gvardiol has now stated that Messi is more motivated while playing for his country than when playing for PSG. The towering defender said (via BILD, h/t GOAL):
“It was harder to defend against him than it was in our game against Paris. It’s completely different – he has a completely different profile in the club than in the national team.”
He added:
“Why? I think he was very motivated, it was his last chance to get something. For me, he’s the best player I’ve had to defend against so far. He’s small and all you can do is foul or tackle him.”