Bordeaux downplay Zidane link

Real Madrid assistant Zinedine Zidane has not agreed to coach Bordeaux, according to the Ligue 1 club’s president Jean-Louis Triaud.

French television station i-TELE Foot reported Zidane had agreed to return to the French top-flight outfit at the end of the season, with the deal ’90 percent finalised’.

But the French icon, who spent four years playing at the Stade Chaban Delmas before transferring to Juventus, will not be replacing Francis Gillot, after Triaud quashed rumours in an interview with French radio stadio RMC.

“It’s a rumour and when the time comes, when we’re ready to talk about next season, we’ll speak again,” he said.

It is not the first time Zidane, Carlo Ancelotti’s right-hand man at Real, has been linked with a move into management this season.

The 41-year-old was at the centre of reports claiming he was set to replace Claudio Ranieri at Ligue 1 powerhouse Monaco, who are bankrolled by Russia billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev.