“It’s never happening in a million years” – Ex-Chelsea star savages Tottenham with bold claim on Antonio Conte replacement
Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley has defiantly claimed that former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane will not replace Antonio Conte as Tottenham Hotspur manager.
Spurs are searching for a replacement for the Italian, who was sacked on Sunday (March 26). Conte lasted just over a year in the role but leaves having put the club and players on blast for a lack of hunger. The north London outfit are fourth in the league, holding a two-point lead over fifth-placed Newcastle United, having played two more games but are out of all cup competitions.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy's search for Conte's successor has many pointing in the direction of iconic Madrid boss Zidane. The Frenchman has been out of management since leaving Les Merengues in 2021. He led Los Blancos to three UEFA Champions League trophies in a row.
However, Burley has played down any chance of Zidane taking over the Lilywhites, telling ESPN:
“I mean, you can take Zinedine Zidane off that list. It’s never happening. It’s never happening in a million years.”
Zidane has been linked with the Paris Saint-Germain job since leaving Madrid. However, the Parisians have been unable to persuade the Frenchman on a move to the Parc des Princes.
He's yet to manage a club other than Los Blancos, and many are awaiting the next move in his managerial career. Burley, though, doesn't consider Tottenham an option for the in-demand manager.
Another name being linked with the vacancy is Julian Nagelsmann, who was recently sacked by Bayern Munich. Meanwhile, Mauricio Pochettino, who spent five years with Spurs from 2014 to 2019, has also been touted for a return to north London.
Burley doesn't think Tottenham should look at reappointing Pochettino, though. The former Chelsea midfielder said:
“I wouldn’t go back to Pochettino. I just don’t think it’s good to go back."
The Argentine was a massive hit for the Lilywhites, taking them to the UEFA Champions League final in 2019. He joined PSG after his Spurs departure but was dismissed last summer after winning Ligue 1 with the French giants.
Chelsea set to rival Tottenham for Julian Nagelsmann if Graham Potter is sacked
Chelsea will reportedly rival Tottenham for former Bayern boss Nagelsmann in the summer if Potter is dismissed.
The German coach's sacking by the Bavarians came as a shock, as his side were still competing in three competitions. They also won all their Champions League games and trailed Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund by just a point.
According to Sky Germany, Nagelsmann will be targeted by the Blues if Potter doesn't start delivering. His side have endured a difficult campaign, sitting tenth in the league, trailing fourth-placed Tottenham by 11 points but with a game in hand.
Hence, Spurs may need to move quickly for Nagelsmann, with Chelsea also joined by Real Madrid in pursuit of the German. He won 60 of 84 games during his time in charge at the Allianz Arena.