Manchester United are in pole position to appoint Zinedine Zidane if they want him, after the Frenchman rejected proposals to work elsewhere.
United are understood to be open to appointing Zidane if they sack current manager Jose Mourinho.
The ex-Real Madrid boss Zidane has been out of work since quitting the Bernabeu last season following a third straight Champions League triumph.
The World Cup winner is open to returning to football and has been mooted as the best option for United if Mourinho is axed.
And it appears as though Zidane is gunning for the Old Trafford job too.
There have been reports over the past few weeks linking Zidane to a director job at his former club Juventus.
But Italian outlet Calciomercato claim he will not take that up.
Instead, Zidane is waiting on United to act - although he is also open to joining another Premier League side if the opportunity arises.
Calciomercato claim Zidane has shied away from a behind-the-scenes job at Juventus because it would add increased pressure on current manager Max Allegri.
Juventus are focusing their efforts on winning the Champions League this season and signed Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid in the summer specifically for that aim.
And their former icon Zidane reportedly feels his presence would adversely impact on those efforts.
The report adds that Zidane has also rejected a £13.3m annual salary to work in the United Arab Emirates, as he targets more football success in Europe.
He is not overly attracted to the idea of being a director, instead preferring to be on the touchline and in the dressing room.
And Zidane may not have to wait long until a spot opens for him at United.
Mourinho is under intense pressure to overturn both results and performances at Old Trafford, with the club currently languishing 10th in the Premier League.
They have already been dumped out of the EFL Cup and laboured to a 0 - 0 draw against Valencia in midweek.
Mourinho will hope the run of four games without a win is ended on Saturday against Newcastle.
However, were United to lose then the board may feel the upcoming international break is the opportune moment to switch things around.
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