PSG in ‘zero contact’ with Zinedine Zidane, Mauricio Pochettino to stay: Club president

Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the president of Paris Saint Germain, rubbished all the reports about the club being in talks with Zinedine Zidane about becoming their next coach. The official further backed current manager Mauricio Pochettino, saying the Argentine is doing a good job.  

Pochettino’s PSG contract ends after the summer of 2023. However, his future with the French giants was in the air after he was linked with a move to Manchester United. The Old Trafford camp, however, hired Ralf Rangnick for the job. 

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Zinedine Zidane was open to the idea of taking charge as PSG’s new manager, French outlet Foot Mercato reported earlier this week.

PSG President Al-Khelaifi took no time to rubbish the reports.  Speaking on the sidelines of the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, he told L’Équipe TV channel on Monday night that PSG had “zero contact” with Zidane, although he considers the Frenchman a “top coach.”

Al-Khelaifi spoke following reports last week in French media of a meeting between Zidane and PSG officials in a fancy Paris hotel.

Zidane, who ended his second spell as Real Madrid manager in May, is out of work but is tipped to become France’s next manager after the World Cup in Qatar. Zidane won three consecutive Champions Leagues in his first period as Madrid manager from 2016-18.

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Al-Khelaifi also reiterated PSG’s support to Pochettino, who had been linked with a move to Manchester United before the Red Devils appointed Ralf Rangnick as interim manager.

“He is there, we are very happy, he is doing a good job,” Al-Khelaifi said about Pochettino.

Pochettino, ahead of his side’s Champions League game against Manchester City, had said he was happy with the job. 

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When asked whether he had needed to reassure them over his commitment to PSG, he said, “The players know very well our situation. We know their situation. We are living in a business that rumours are there, sometimes negative, sometimes positive. That is not a thing to talk about – the rumours.”

With inputs from the Associated Press