Juventus are reportedly considering former player Zinedine Zidane as a potential replacement for current manager Thiago Motta, who is under increasing pressure following recent poor performances.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the 52-year-old Zidane is viewed as the club’s ‘dream’ candidate, although his appointment is considered a challenging prospect.
Motta’s position at Juventus has become precarious after consecutive heavy defeats in Serie A, including a 4-0 loss to Atalanta and a 3-0 defeat to Fiorentina.
These setbacks have left the team in fifth place with 52 points from 29 games, raising concerns about their qualification for European competitions.
Zidane, born in Marseille to Algerian parents from the Kabylie region, has been without a managerial role since departing Real Madrid in 2021, where he notably secured three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles.
Despite being linked to various positions in recent years, he has remained on the sidelines, reportedly awaiting the right project.
While Zidane is a favored candidate among some Juventus stakeholders, including Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether—a company that recently acquired a minority stake in the club—practical considerations make his appointment less likely.
Financial constraints and Zidane’s aspirations to manage the French national team are factors that could impede such a move.
Consequently, Juventus are reportedly considering other candidates, such as Igor Tudor and Roberto Mancini, should they decide to part ways with Motta.
Tudor, a former Juventus defender, has managerial experience in Serie A, while Mancini, the current head coach of the Saudi Arabia national team, has a distinguished coaching career, including leading Italy to victory in the UEFA Euro 2020.
