Saudi Arabian owners of Newcastle United are admiring the prospect of acquiring French club Olympique Marseille, and they are looking at appointing Zinedine Zidane as manager.
The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, which owns an 80% stake in the Magpies are hopeful that a deal can be finalized.
Reports from France indicate that Zidane has acceded with the PIF to become manager of Marseille, but he is waiting for the completion of the takeover.
Saudi owners of Newcastle United set sight at acquiring Marseille
Frank McCourt, who is the majority owner of The Olympians, might be under some pressure to sell the club, given their abysmal start to the 2023/24 season.
Marseille couldn’t qualify for the UEFA Champions League after crashing out from the qualification stages in the third round of qualification.
The French club lost 5-3 on penalties to Panathinaikos, after playing out a 2-2 draw with the Greek club over two legs.
Gennaro Gattuso’s side sit 8th on the Ligue 1 table, with 2 wins from their first 8 league matches.
Olympique Marseille have lost only once this season, but they have picked up 3 draws in 6 games.
Due to their horrendous start to the season and pressure from the club’s ultras, they fired Marcelino on September 20, 2023.
On September 27, 2023, Marseille appointed Gennaro Gattuso as manager, and he is set to take charge of their upcoming league encounter against Monaco.
However, the Saudi PIF would reportedly let go of Gattuso once they have fully acquired the club, to bring Zinedine Zidane on board.
Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid
Zidane was last manager of Real Madrid, spending two stints at the club, and he left the Spanish club on June 30, 2021.
Reports have emanated that the Frenchman is holding out for the national team job of France, and he has rejected several enticing offers in recent years.
It appears he is now prepared to return to club management if the Saudi PIF completes their takeover of Olympique Marseille.
He has had an outstanding managerial career, winning several trophies including; 2 La Liga titles, 3 UEFA Champions League, and 2 FIFA Club World Cups.
Meanwhile, Frank McCourt has made it clear that Olympique Marseille is not for sale, but that hasn’t deterred the mega-rich owners of Newcastle United.
Zinedine Zidane has been promised that he would be financially backed in order to compete with the best clubs in the world, and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) have also outlined their ambitions for the club.
Marseille are a club with a huge history, with 9 Ligue 1 titles to their name, 10 Coupe de France, 3 Coupe de la Ligue, and 3 Trophée des Champions.
They remain the only French club to win the UEFA Champions League since the European Cup was rebranded for the 1992-93 season.
The Olympians last won the Ligue 1 title in the 2009/10 season, and Marseille last won a trophy in the 2011/12 season, winning the Coupe de la Ligue and Trophée des Champions.
