PARIS: French champions Paris Saint-Germain are near to reaching an agreement for Zinedine Zidane to replace Mauricio Pochettino as coach, French media reported on Friday.
According to radio station Europe 1, an agreement in principle is in place between the club and 49-year-old Zidane for the former Real Madrid boss to join ahead of the new season.
Contacted by AFP, a PSG source refused to confirm or deny the reports.
Pochettino has a year left on his contract and led the Qatari-backed side to the Ligue 1 title last term but they were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid in the last 16.
The club’s Qatari owners are desperate to win European club football’s premier competition and Zidane guided the Spanish giants to the trophy three seasons in a row between 2016 and 2018.
A World Cup winner with France in 1998, Zidane won the Champions League as a player with Real in 2002.
As coach he had two spells in charge of Madrid, winning his hat-trick of Champions Leagues in his first stint as well as one La Liga title, two Club World Cups, two UEFA Super Cups and a Spanish Super Cup.
He walked out of Real in 2018 but was reappointed in March 2019 and won another La Liga title in 2020 before departing again the following year.
Zidane was in Paris at the same time as the Emir of Qatar for last month’s Champions League final at the Stade de France, which was won by Real against Liverpool.
Earlier, PSG announced the arrival of Luis Campos as their football adviser to replace the departed Leonardo.
The 57-year-old Portuguese super-scout built the Monaco team that denied PSG the title in 2017 and knows Kylian Mbappe well as the striker was emerging in the principality at the same time.
Campos then became the genius behind the scenes at Lille, helping them build a team that pipped PSG to the Ligue 1 crown last year before departing.
“I am delighted to be joining Paris Saint-Germain, which I consider is the most ambitious and exciting club in world football,” Campos said in a PSG statement.
“I believe strongly in and share the vision of the club and I cannot wait to get started to further unleash the great potential of this exceptional club.”
The new French top-flight season begins on the weekend of August 6 and 7.
A week before that champions PSG will play French Cup winners Nantes in the Trophee des Champions, the traditional curtain-raiser to the French season, in Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Zidane close to joining PSG as coach: reports
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Zidane close to joining PSG as coach: reports
- An agreement in principle is in place between the club and 49-year-old Zidane
- Contacted by AFP, a PSG source refused to confirm or deny the reports
Lens cruise into French Cup quarters, Endrick sends Lyon through
- Goals by Florian Sotoca and Andrija Bulatovic, as well as a Abdallah Sima brace, saw surprise Ligue 1 title contenders Lens through their last-16 tie
PARIS, France: Lens reached the quarter-finals of the French Cup on Wednesday courtesy of a 4-2 win over Troyes, while an Endrick-inspired Lyon fought past second-division Laval.
Goals by Florian Sotoca and Andrija Bulatovic, as well as a Abdallah Sima brace, saw surprise Ligue 1 title contenders Lens through their last-16 tie.
Martin Adeline had levelled before half-time for second flight leaders Troyes before three goals in eight minutes early in the second period put Pierre Sage’s side firmly in charge.
At home to Ligue 2 strugglers Laval, Lyon struggled to break down their opponents until a moment of individual excellence by Real Madrid loanee Endrick.
Following a surging run from midfielder Pavel Sulc, the 19-year-old Brazilian burst through a challenge before unleashing a rasping drive from the edge of the box to open the scoring in the 80th minute.
It was Endrick’s fifth goal in as many outings for Lyon since arriving from the Santiago Bernabeu in late December.
“It’s really important to have scored my first goal on our home turf. This start at Lyon is truly a dream come true,” the forward said.
Lyon wrapped up their 11th consecutive victory in all competitions when Laval ‘keeper Maxime Hautbois inadvertently turned Afonso Moreira’s effort into his own net late in added time.
Struggling Nice pulled off a remarkable comeback in their last-16 tie against Montpellier to win 3-2.
The hosts found themselves trailing 2-0 midway through the second half before Kail Boudache halved the deficit with 18 minutes remaining on the clock.
Antoine Mendy netted on 89 minutes and looked to have forced extra-time, until Sofiane Diop shaped a fine curling effort beyond Montpellier goalkeeper Mathieu Michel seven minutes into injury time.
Lorient saw off fellow Ligue 1 outfit Paris FC with a 2-0 win thanks to a second-half goal by Noah Cadiou and a late Moustapha Mbow own goal.
Toulouse beat Ligue 2 Amiens 1-0 with Yann Gboho netting the winner six minutes before the interval.
