Zinedine Zidane and Jose Mourinho are top of the shortlist to join Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia according to media reports.
There is a vacancy in the manager role at Al Nassr after the Saudi side parted ways with head coach Rudi Garcia last week, and the ambitious side is eyeing a statement signing according to Marca newspaper.
Zidane and Mourinho, with a combined eight European tournament trophies as well as multiple league titles as manager, fit the profile of the replacement wanted by Al Nassr.
Zidane and Mourinho eyed by Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia
As two of the most decorated and admired managers in world football it would be a major coup for the Saudi side to attract either of the former Real Madrid bosses.
However, the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo has opened the doors for the highest profile football talent to choose Saudi Arabia over more celebrated European or International opportunities.
Spanish newspaper Marca, a national paper dedicated to football news in Spain, says Al Nassr are willing to pay Zidane €60m ($65m) a year over two seasons to take the helm of the club.
The former France and Real Madrid star is weighing up options as he is currently without a club. Negotiations are underway, claims the Marca report, with Ronaldo approving either manager.
Marca previously reported Jose Mourinho, currently manager of Roma in Italy’s Serie A, was offered a similar sum to take over from departed Rudi Garcia.
Self-styled “Special One”, Mourinho, has also been linked with a $124m contract to take over management duties of Saudi Arabia’s national team.
Al Nassr currently sit in second place in the Saudi Pro League. They are three points behind Al Ittihad with seven games of the season left to play.
Last week the club tweeted: “Al Nassr can announce that Head Coach Rudi Garcia has left the Club by mutual agreement.
“The board and everyone at Al Nassr would like to thank Rudi and his staff for their dedicated work during the past 8 months.”
There had been reports of growing dissent against Garcia, formerly manager of Marseille and Lyon, and it all came to a head last week when Al Nassr were poor in their goalless draw against a struggling Al Feiha.
Ronaldo, has scored 11 goals in ten top-flight matches since joining Al Nassr, was involved in a verbal confrontation with Al Feiha’s Ali Al Zaqaan at the end of the match and reports in some Spanish outlets said the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star complained to Al Nassr officials about Garcia’s tactical plans and approach to matches.
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