Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit explains why Zinedine Zidane will not move to the PL amid Chelsea links
Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit has explained why he thinks Zinedine Zidane will not become the next Chelsea manager. Zidane has been linked with the Blues' job after Graham Potter's sacking.
The west Londoners have recruited Frank Lampard on an interim basis as a stop-gap solution, and are expected to explore the market for a new manager in the summer.
Former Real Madrid manager Zidane is one of the coaches who has been linked with the job. Petit, however, feels Zidane won't take up the role. The Frenchman doesn't speak English, which could be a big reason behind him not pursuing a move to England.
Petit told Stadium Astro (via Daily Mail):
"Zidane, he won't come. Definitely. Do you know why? Because he doesn't speak English."
He added:
"That's the truth - because I have known Zidane for ages and the way he manages players, he's very close, he always talks to his players."
Petit further said:
"So he wants the communication to be a priority. Very important for him, he doesn't want someone to translate everything he has to say publicly."
Zidane has been out of a job since leaving Chelsea in 2021. Apart from Zidane, Chelsea have also been linked with the likes of Julian Nagelsmann and Mauricio Pochettino.
Frank Lampard is named the Chelsea interim boss
Frank Lampard will take charge of the Blues until the end of the season on an interim basis. The club reaveled the appointment through an official statement:
"We are delighted to welcome Frank back to Stamford Bridge. Frank is a Premier League Hall of Famer and a legend at this club. As we continue our thorough and exhaustive process for a permanent head coach, we want to provide the club and our fans with a clear and stable plan for the remainder of the season."
They further added:
"We want to give ourselves every chance of success, and Frank has all of the characteristics and qualities we need to drive us to the finish line."
The Blues are 11th in the Premier League and are still alive in the UEFA Champions League where they will take on defending champions Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.