ZZ TOP: Saha dreams of Zidane sitting in the Old Trafford dugout

During an exclusive conversation with MegaDice.com, Premier League icon Louis Saha has revealed that he would love to see Zinedine Zidane managing Manchester United in the future and toid his old club to forget about signing Liam Delap or Matheus Cunha and go all in for Nigerian goal-machine Victor Osimhen this summer.

The former United ace also outlined the biggest problem facing footballers today: bad advice and agents, and he slammed the team around Carrington graduate Kobbie Mainoo for trying to force the club’s hand on a new contract.

Louis also discusses the overhaul required at Manchester United this summer, naming injury-prone duo Mason Mount and Luke Shaw as two players who may face the Old Trafford axe.

Premier League

Q: Liverpool have the title all but wrapped up, but do you think they will be favourites next year? Who will be their biggest threat?

Louis Saha: This year, they’ve been the most consistent, so they’ve got the most points. They had a successful transition, losing an amazing manager, but they have a new one who has gelled really well.

So based on that they are probably still favourites, while you can see Man City still have some changes to make in the summer.

There are others like Chelsea, who had a better than expected season, but a difficult one still. Given the numbers of players and transfers they had to accommodate, they’re still not quite there.

Of course, you have to mention Arsenal too, but I still think that Liverpool is the strongest and based on what happened, I would have always said Man City usually have a chance, but they’re losing De Bruyne, and maybe Gundogan, so there are changes ahead.

Liverpool also now have Van Dijk and Salah on new contracts. Van Dijk is key for their consistency this season, and he will be again next year.

Q: VVD’s wages are reported to be up to 400k a week, is that too much of a risk for a player in his mid-30s?

Louis Saha: It’s always risky. When you give a player lots of money, their attitude can change. You always see players sign new contracts, and they’re just not the same – look at what happened to Marcus Rashford. We all wonder what happened there.

But Van Dijk has been there for years, he’s the captain, one of the most consistent players ever since he arrived. I think he’s done enough to really deserve the contract. He’s shown loyalty to the club, so it’s great for him.

Q: Who will make up the rest of the top five?

Louis Saha: I think it’s the one in place now. I think Nottingham Forest are going to find it hard now. Not because they’re playing badly, but the last few points of a season are so hard to grab. It’s always very hard, and Chris Wood seems to have struggled a little more recently. His injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for them and he’s struggling to find the rhythm that made him so deadly this season.

We’re at the point in the season where experience is key and they lack that a little bit. I think that, yes, if you look at the table now, it’s Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, you have obviously Man City and And Newcastle. So, I do think that those guys will stay there.

Q: Who is the best striker in the PL right now? Top 3?

Louis Saha: There is no doubt that Haaland is the best one. He’s injured at the moment, but I don’t think there is any debate.

You have Isak, who definitely has been a revelation, has been doing terrific, and as an all-round player, he’s really high by that metric. He provides a lot of things to his team.

And definitely when you look at the numbers, the best one is Mo Salah. Maybe he’s not a striker, but he is a new type of forward. When you look at those numbers, you can’t deny that this guy is a finisher. He’s got a lot of assists as well.

You also have to recognise Chris Wood and what he’s done in terms of numbers, and Ollie Watkins, but the striker position is not what it was. In the past, you’d have five or six out-and-out top strikers. Now strikers are dying out, and we have a different kind of forward.

Q: Which club or player has disappointed you the most this season?

Louis Saha: The team that I watch the most is Man United. So for me, it’s going to be Mason Mount, because he has been injured all year. You know, I’m sure he is working hard, but it’s difficult. There were a lot of hopes and it didn’t work out for him. Looking at the other teams, United are so disappointing, to be that far down the table. It’s worse than Tottenham. Even if Spurs finish bottom, I still think United will have had a worse season.

Q: What is the biggest problem for young Premier League players you have learned from your experience with Axis Stars?

Louis Saha: Bad advice is the biggest problem facing young stars in the Premier League. Advice is really hard to get, and it’s hard to get to the bottom of things. Intermediaries can make things tough. You might think you’re earning half a million pounds and not know you lost £1.5m, because you’re not shown everything.

I don’t blame all agents, there are definitely good ones, but it’s an opaque industry. It’s hard to be on top of things, and as your job is already so demanding, sometimes you find out a lot later (that you may have been taken advantage of), sometimes you’re a bit too lazy and don’t even think about it. It’s happened to me, it’s happened to others.

I can see that the industry sometimes needs to change. We need more from unions, clubs, and others to protect players.

Man Utd

Q: Which of the 3 strikers out of Joshua Zirkzee, Rasmus Hojlund and Chido Obi do you expect to have the best United career and why?

Louis Saha: From what I’ve seen in the last few weeks, definitely Zirkzee. He has shown not only quality technically, but strength mentally, because he went through almost hell against Newcastle and bounced back from that brilliantly within a team that is not playing well.

What I’ve seen from Chido Obi I like, but he has a big task ahead of himself, and it’s just too hard to predict.

Rasmus is going to have to make a big choice over his future. There seems to be a mismatch between player and the club, and his confidence has dropped through the floor. It’s difficult to see.

Things like this happen sometimes, but he can recover. It is all down to mentality, but the one to show that right now is Zirkzee. If United get back to their previous standard, then Zirkzee stands to benefit. He can be a big asset – a big threat for any defence in the league, and physically imposing.

He’s technically very gifted. His mentality now, his understanding is better. His IQ is getting there. So I think that Zirkzee can be a very exciting player.

Q: Rasmus Hojlund has had his critics this year. Do you see a future for him at Old Trafford and where should United be looking if they want other options up front?

Louis Saha: I think he should not have all the weight on his shoulders that he’s got at the moment, where like everybody is saying he should be scoring 15 to 20 goals. I’ve always thought young players need experienced players around them, to shoulder the responsibility.

Then those younger players can really learn. When I arrived at Manchester United, Van Nistelrooy and Solskjaer were here. I was definitely not given the responsibility straight away.

Then when you have like two young boys on the flanks, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, you tend to see that those guys have enormous potential, but we were all learning, so it would have been very dangerous to not have Van Nistelrooy to provide leadership.

It’s really demanding and Rasmus has tried his best, you can see his motivation, but his confidence dropped to the bottom. I can’t see any change if the season remains like this.
He has to go on holiday, to work really hard and obviously start really well and then things can change. Football is very quick like that.

Q: Do you think the club must sign an experienced striker over someone like Liam Delap to offer mentoring to the youngsters as well as offering 20+ goals a season?

Louis Saha: It would be extremely dangerous, risky even for United to put all their faith in a youngster like Liam Delap. Even if he’s a quality player, for me it’s a gamble that isn’t worth taking. It’s his first season, where he’s confirming his talent in the Premier League.

We definitely can see his quality, and the guy is a very intelligent player for his age, but he’s still learning, and he’s understanding how to cope with certain types of tactics, certain types of pressure, bringing in another youngster like Rasmus, even if he has the advantage of being in the Premier League already, I think it’s a gamble.

When I’m thinking about who United need to lead the line, we need someone with a bit more experience, who has proven pedigree on the Europe stage, a player that has already demonstrated that he is capable of playing without difficulty as the main man at Manchester United. It needs to be a player with experience. It needs to be a player that can handle the pressure of leading the line for a giant club like Manchester United.

We need a striker that can be a threat and a solution to help educate and develop the other strikers, the youngsters at the club. They need someone to take the pressure off them.

We need someone whose confidence doesn’t drop at all. There aren’t many players like that, but there are definitely a few.

Q: Does United’s current style of play suit the players they have up front, or do they need a different style of striker?

Louis Saha: I think they need someone different, with more experience.

I like Victor Osimhen. He’s definitely got the character, he’s got the quality. He’s been at the right level for a few years, especially when he was at Napoli. There’s not many clubs with that level of pressure, and he did really well.

He’s the name I keep coming back to, and he’s a United fan, so I think it makes sense. Let’s bring him in.

Q: The amazing comeback over Lyon was a throwback to the Sir Alex Ferguson days. Can it be a catalyst for Ruben Amorim to go and win that competition now?

Louis Saha: I want to say yes. Normally, it’s logical, but the way they did it was so erratic and chaotic. They showed great spirit, and that’s encouraging, but they showed a lot of fragility. You saw that against Wolves at the weekend in the league, but it’s been like that in Europe too.

The deeper they go in the Europa League, the better the teams, the more resilient they are. They need to solve their problems now, before they get punished against Athletic Club in the semi-finals.

You need to know about the opponent’s strengths, of course, but you need to begin with the belief that you’re an amazing team who can beat anyone. But first, they need to solve their big problems, and they can’t hide. They need to prepare every detail.

They really need to think about their strengths, that’s for sure.

At United, it’s almost like there’s a virus that comes and goes, that affects them mentally.

Q: Will a trophy win and the allure of Champions League football prove pivotal to current stars and potential transfer signings buying into Amorim’s methods and wanting to stay/join the club?

Louis Saha: It’s massively important. A manager is always thinking about consistency, not focusing on winning a cup. But, when the rewards are so massive for winning the Europa League, you have to pay attention to it.

Maybe he has to put a squad together to rebuild their confidence, maybe he needs to talk things over with his players, and take more training sessions with his senior players.

There’s definitely a momentum that can build when you win the Europa League. By getting into the Champions League, you can attract better players. The players who want the competition, who understand what a project can achieve, and how to play at the top level.

Right now, the team and the squad isn’t quite there. No disrespect, but at times they go from playing great stuff to playing like a Championship side.

The mission for Amorim is to find out why they are so fragile. A Europa League victory would be great, it would help recruitment, but it doesn’t change the root problems he has to fix.

Q: Amorim has struggled in his first few months at Old Trafford and it’s clear a squad overhaul is needed. Looking at the current first team, who would you like to be seen moved on this summer?

Louis Saha: I think there are a few where you can see that they haven’t played that much or they’ve been injured. There’s definitely a need to rebalance between young players with potential, and then a decent amount of senior players.

In a squad of 20 players, at most you can have six players who are inconsistent, or a little disruptive, but who have the talent to justify their place in the squad.

But United need 15 warriors alongside them who will sacrifice everything to win, whose personal life is being at the club, with no distractions. They need players dedicated to rebuilding the team, back to the previous standards.

There are obviously some players there who might want to be at United, but don’t understand the standards they need to meet.

United need to figure out the players who really want to fight, like Harry Maguire. He fought for his place, he wants to succeed at United. We need 15 more like him with his character. Someone like Victor Lindelof might not be called upon every week, but he’s an asset, because he obviously wants to stay at the club.

There are players, though, who are out on loan, who have made problems, or blamed others. You can’t risk having many of those players around, players who think they’ve already made it, or who want others to change to accommodate them.

Then there are players who have missed almost all the season, like Mason Mount and Luke Shaw. If the manager wants to take a change of direction, I think they’d accept that.
Christian Eriksen, maybe he’s thinking of going elsewhere.

So next season, we need clarity straight away where everyone knows what is required, and everyone knows what the philosophy is.

Q: Would Zidane be a good option for Man Utd?

Louis Saha: Maybe the only thing that is stopping him from taking the job is his English, or perhaps he’s not attracted to the Premier League in some way. That’s what I heard from interviews. But so many people talk instead of him, so I don’t know for sure.

But I definitely am sure about his quality as a manager, as a human being. He has a natural aura, he’s able to impart confidence and tactical awareness. A lot comes naturally to him.

There are a lot of things that come naturally but he’s someone that works hard.
He wants to really understand the philosophy of every player and get them to play well. A similar approach to Alex Ferguson, but with different skills.

He managed to provide this kind of confidence with the Real Madrid players. Yes, sometimes he may not like every player, but he managed brilliantly, won loads of trophies, at the hardest club to manage in world football. Real Madrid is extremely difficult, culturally it’s less protective for the players, so you will get exposed and when you do, you have to have the nerves, you have to have that.

He has his strength mentally and I think showed that with the amount of trophies that he won. He would be a natural at handling the pressure that comes with managing Man United. He can cope with that, and he would definitely bring way more confidence to the players because they will say, OK, I have to do the hard work because of what this guy has achieved.

Q: Do you have advice to Mason Mount in dealing with injuries?

Louis Saha: Yeah, it is extremely difficult because Mason is under more pressure than I was. When I was out, I had Ronaldo, Giggs, Tevez, Van Nistelrooy and others who could perform. I had enormous competition, but it was only against me. My battle back from injury was to try to catch them up, or I’d be on the bench. It was really hard.

Mason, though, needs to relax. He needs to learn from this situation and keep confidence that he’s a terrific player. He needs to get back and find the right place on the pitch to demand the ball 50 times a game and trust himself. Sometimes, I don’t see him involved.

Yes, he presses, but that’s not his game. That’s not why we signed him.

So it’s about how to find the right pockets and how to add to the team that you’re playing with. This is the type of learning he needs, understanding those teammates and their weaknesses, how he can compensate.

But at the same time, he has to show his own strength about being in those pockets, being creative, being a bigger asset in counter-attacking and all those things.

That’s where we want to see him, the real Mason Mount. He needs to shrug off any pressure he feels and play with enjoyment again. Yes, he has the number seven on his back, but let’s relax.

Q: Should Man Utd just focus on the EL and give up on PL games?

Louis Saha: No, no, no. If you cheat football, football punishes you. United owe it to the fans, and to the players. They need to try every week, for confidence. They need to build confidence, they need to meet standards of the club every week.

Sometimes you need to change, and I totally understand you put some younger players in some games, but you have to really understand that the quality, the standard needs to be shown in every training session, so the Premier League is a platform as well, and you have to respect it. I think it’s where you build performances, because if you’re going to turn up on just the day of the semi-final, it won’t work.

So I understand you need to have a balanced approach, but you have to give the right approach with a professional approach, with a determined approach, that you actually try to hurt any team that you face, whether you make a few changes.

Newcastle

Q: Isak has been a revelation this season and is continually being linked with a move away to Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea. If Newcastle decide to cash in then who would represent the best move for the Swede?

Louis Saha: I believe that Newcastle is growing and they will have to keep growing, with the same quality, with the same standards of how they play and Isak is very important to maintaining that standard.

His style is so complete that he allows those midfielders to bomb forward without thinking that the striker is going to lose the ball. They have this passion and every player improves when Isak is here.

At Liverpool, he’d fit in really well if Nunez goes, and at Chelsea I think that he’d be great competition with Nicolas Jackson and give even more to the team than he does.

Arsenal, though, they definitely need a striker like him. They’ve had players like Robin van Persie who have that will to win, to drag them towards success. I mean no disrespect to William Saliba, but he’s now their most important player. It’s strange.

I respect the forwards they have now, but they don’t pose the same threat. They need a goalscorer, someone who creates something out of nothing, who scores when the team is struggling. For me, Isak is the best striker around who Arsenal could move for this summer. For Arsenal, it would make sense.

Q: What was the relationship like between Shearer and Ruud Gullit while you were there?

Louis Saha: It was not great. I don’t remember all the details, but I could understand. On the one hand there’s Ruud Gullit, a legend, coming to a new club. Then you have Alan Shearer, a legend for the club and for England, and I think there is a bit of a misunderstanding, because both of them wanted to succeed.

I have heard interviews with Alan, saying he was surprised by some challenges he had with Ruud, but I remember they were both characters that wanted to win. Sometimes there’s miscommunications, one thing leads to another, and people become unhappy. That’s what happened there.

Arsenal

Q: Have Arsenal got enough in their locker to defeat PSG over two legs and do the eventual CL winners come from this tie?

Louis Saha: Yes, of course, they have the quality. They showed that against Real Madrid, even if there is no doubt that Real Madrid is a shadow of their former selves, but I do really think that at this stage every team can win.

We have four terrific teams who are confident. Arsenal are maybe a little more vulnerable because they’re missing a striker, and PSG have their forward line working well. It’s going to be hard to keep them to just a couple of chances, with Dembele playing like a No. 10, but can score like a striker. PSG are my favourites for the competition, they’re strong across the pitch.

Their attackers, oh my God, they’re very strong at getting in behind, they play short passes with danger, and they’re so dangerous as a unit. It’s a big challenge for Arsenal.

Q: Did Arsenal’s win over Real Madrid put Arteta in pole position for the Real Madrid job?

Louis Saha: I think it was the president of Bayer Leverkusen who said that he was happy for Arsenal to have won but he would have preferred to see Real Madrid win so they could keep Xabi Alonso. There is competition there if Real Madrid job is free. There are a lot of managers who would like to be there.

I’m sure that Mikel Ateta is maybe looking at Barcelona more than Real Madrid.

But yes, Mikel has done really well with Arsenal. I’m sure that he wants to win a trophy before going anywhere. He will probably look at this trajectory, but the Real Madrid job is not something that you refuse as a manager. But I think it’s a bit early for him. He has a lot to achieve in his career, and he’s still a young manager.

Winning a major trophy with Arsenal would be amazing and it would be the minimum I think he will want. Because from what I know and remember, Mikel is a very loyal guy and I’m sure that he sees his position as a very important job. He wants to win with the Gunners.

He will want to create a foundation. I think after two or three years you can see that he has done a terrific job there. He needs to win before he’ll think about leaving.

Q: What meant more to you as a player, winning the Premier League or the Champions League?

Louis Saha: The Premier League means a lot because over the season, there’s so much competition within and outside the team. It’s an enormous demand on you. The pressure is immense because back in the day, the competition was enormous but the pressure, the fans, they wanted it.

So all those things are very special for a Man United player. I was lucky enough to win both at Manchester United working under the best manager in the club’s history.

United is a unique club and when I look back on that period, look at my teammates and what we won together, you realise that you were part of a period of success that may not be repeated again. It was truly magical and that is power of Manchester United – the club needs to get back to those levels again and as quickly as possible, but it won’t be easy.

It’s a giant club that can fulfill the dreams of any player, you just need the right chemistry and that’s what is missing at the moment.

Man City

Q: Erling Haaland seems increasingly susceptible to injury – has Guardiola overused him?

Louis Saha: I don’t think so. He’s such a big unit and he wants to break records. I see similarities with his frame and approach and Robert Lewandowski. So he’s been unlucky with a few injuries, but I do think that’s just the moment of being unfortunate. He hasn’t been overplayed.

He started his career very young, scoring so many goals already. I don’t think that physically it is going to be a problem. In a few weeks he’s going to be back and he’s going to do well again.

Transfers

Q: Would Cristiano Ronaldo be a good stand-in for Haaland, and would Utd fans forgive him for joining?

Louis Saha: I don’t think it makes sense. It’s a tough question. It’s painful to think of Ronaldo at City. But also, I don’t think Ronaldo needs it, it wouldn’t be worth the message it would send.

Going to Man City for what? What is this new competition? For me, I don’t respect it. This competition for me is absolutely unnecessary. Almost like something strange based on the fight that they had with the Super League. I just don’t understand it.

Going there for Cristiano doesn’t make sense for me because the competition is not worth it.

Q: Joe Cole suggested Chelsea sign Kevin De Bruyne for his experience, does that transfer make sense?

Louis Saha: Of course, he’s still one of the best midfielders around today. Yes, maybe a bit more fragile physically. I would think that his brain, it’s the best out there.

There are definitely younger players in Chelsea where they have big talents, they have speed, they have unpredictability, but they need predictability as well. And I think having a captain from Man City makes sense.

Another club who could be the right fit are Tottenham, or maybe Arsenal. It would be strange for me to see De Bruyne still in the Premier League without having a light blue shirt, but who knows?

Q: Could Paul Pogba offer the experience that Chelsea’s squad are lacking?

Louis Saha: I am surprised that Pogba hasn’t found a team yet. I don’t know what is going on. Yes, I’m very surprised. This guy has got a lot of quality and I would love to see him at least train with the team in some capacity, it’s strange.

But let’s see, maybe he’s waiting for next season. I still think that the best fit for me is Man Utd, because in this midfield, I can see what he can bring in the squad. You talk about experience, you talk about quality and I think personal motivation will be high. I don’t think that Chelsea can benefit from this, but Man United can.

Q: There were reports this weekend that Victor Osimhen is on his way to Manchester United – would he be the talismanic leader that United need to transform their team?

Louis Saha: I really like Victor Osimhen. He’s definitely got the character, he’s got the quality. He’s also got good european pedigree: he was a success in France, he was a champion in Italy with Napoli and he’s gone to Turkey with Galatasaray and been brilliant, a move that he probably didn’t want, let’s be honest.

He’s scored goals at every level. He’s got Champions League experience, and further more, he’s got the type of personality and charisma that this United squad could really benefit from.

I think he would be a transformational signing for Manchester United. If you think about the pressure that he was under at Napoli, firing the club to it’s first title in 33 years, then he’s the perfect man to lead the line for Manchester United.

I think he would have a huge impact at United. I would love to see the club hierarchy move for him, I think he is exactly what we need.

Q: Can United afford to sell Kobbie Mainoo?

Louis Saha: It’s a difficult one because I can see his potential. There is absolutely no doubt about it. I really like the player.

Sometimes I think that Amorim has his style, and maybe he wants more speed, more stamina. Maybe Kobbie needs a different role, and if he plays further forward, he is a very clever player. You can see his fitness has improved.

I was really impressed how he changed the game against Lyon. His pressing was very high, very high tempo, and he deserved the goal. So this is the type of performance I want to see from Kobbie.

The quality is there, there is no doubt, but at some moments, I feel like physically he needs to show more. He did it in that game and this is what needs to be demanded of him. He has to do that week in, week out and this is where there’s a challenge.

If I try to work out what’s going on, I wonder if the stories about contract demands and transfer wishes have come from somewhere, maybe an agent, and it hasn’t helped things.

From the outside, as a fan, when you see stories about wage demands, it simply doesn’t help the player. Maybe in the summer, when the season has gone well, you can start negotiations, but right now, maybe it’s in the head of the manager and there will be some kind of repercussion.

So whoever has done this, has put the kid in a difficult situation, and didn’t protect him. His name was in every newspaper saying that he’s asking for this – his team needs to look at themselves. They could have created big problems for him that could cost him his United future.

Q: Arsenal and United have been linked with several of the same players. How would you pitch the United project to these players to get them to join Manchester United rather than Arsenal?

Louis Saha: I think when you look at the history, United definitely has a better history. The club in itself, it’s just immense. It excites any player, obviously abroad, to come to Manchester United. It’s still there. If they manage to get the Champions League, I mean, no players will not consider Manchester United.

The problem right now is the lack of foundation. It’s not clear what the owners want, and what will happen in terms of money for transfers. They have this uncertainty. Agents and players will want answers, and if they aren’t given soon, negotiations will be tough.

But I do think Arsenal are a terrific club, and they already have a terrific team. They’re closer to winning major trophies. Some players might prefer that to United’s history, and I’d totally understand.

But I still think if you are still looking for a special club, in so many aspects, it’s United. No disrespect, as I love Arsenal, with their history of French players. But United is a unique club for any player, and I’ll always look at United as a privilege to join.

Q: Bryan Mbeumo has been linked with Liverpool and Newcastle. If you were him, which project would you want to be part of?

Louis Saha: It’s interesting because when you look at Mbeumo, he’s more of a winger; he’s not a typical striker. Those clubs, Liverpool and Newcastle, they are looking more for a number nine I think.

But yes, if you say to me Liverpool may be looking for someone playing on the right instead of Salah, Salah just signed a new contract so I don’t know what is going to happen there. I just can’t see them bringing in Mbuemo and spending a lot of money on a second choice player.

Newcastle are a team growing in confidence, but they have Barnes and Gordon. They’re playing well. But you always need players who have confidence and who can contribute, and Mbeumo looks like that kind of player. It’d be exciting to see him step up.

I don’t think that he’s going to stay at Brentford, I think that it’s an exciting moment for him and his career.

I think Newcastle would be the better option for him over Liverpool. He would definitely be a good option for their squad though, especially if they can qualify for the Champions League and I suspect he would back himself to be a big part of Eddie Howe’s first team.

Fulham

Q: What do you think is the potential of Rodrigo Muniz, and where does he need to improve his game?

Louis Saha: Fulham need to improve their consistency even more, and they need to turn losses into draws, and draws into wins. They need to learn to win ugly, and get 15 more points from the season. The style of play is great, but they can go even better.

That’s what Rodrigo Muniz can do to improve himself, and help his team. He needs to score important goals. He has great players alongside him, they have two good strikers. If they are both scoring 20 a season, things would be amazing.

Q: Has Marco Silva taken Fulham as far as he can? How would you assess the job he has done at Fulham?

Louis Saha: No, he’s done brilliantly, but Fulham can still go up one or two rungs on the ladder, I think. I really think that this club is amazing. They have understood how to stay in the Premier League, to maintain this type of quality all the season. They’ve not had any long stretches of underperformance.

They give everyone a tough match, and Silva is the master of that success. They have the capacity to reach and play in Europe, maybe win some trophies. That’s what I want to see from them, and Marco is the man for that.

I’d be happy to see him stay and take them all the way to a trophy. Fulham are an ambitious team who want to go further, and they shouldn’t be thinking of any ceiling on their performance. I think they could even recruit better players in the summer to kick on.

Q: Are you worried that Marco Silva could be tempted to join Tottenham?

Louis Saha: I am worried about Fulham losing Marco Silva to Tottenham or any other club. In the summer, the market will be busy for clubs who want new managers. The ones who perform well this summer will be on lots of shortlists.

And for Daniel Levy, he’s someone who always has a target in mind. He sometimes acts like replacing a manager allows him to pin the blame on the last one. But at some point, they need to figure out why Spurs don’t reach their potential.

They usually spend in the market, and do good business, but maybe not so much last year.

At that moment, there’s always a risk to the manager when things don’t go well, and with Marco Silva doing well with Fulham, it could happen.

But big teams like Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester United, Liverpool, when there is a step up with a manager playing well from a lesser team, it’s not the same. It’s so easy to compare, but the pressure is not the same, the kind of players and tactics, and then you have to find out very quickly how to make them click. It’s not the same environment, so it’s a new challenge.

Tottenham

Q: Solanke has come under a lot of criticism for his lack of goals this season. How much is that down to the system at Tottenham, or has the step up from Bournemouth been too much?

Louis Saha: A bit of both, but I say that I’ve seen that Solanke has been injured. He’s been adapting, and he didn’t maybe score as much this season. Tottenham is a big club with big expectations. I think the team didn’t play well or didn’t perform. They were fragile. That’s why they are well down the table, though they did perform in the Europa League.

There have been some good performances, but it’s pretty much similar to Manchester United. At some moments, you don’t understand why Tottenham are losing those games. They are in control and from one minute to another, something happens. So, sometimes the tactic works, other times they struggle.

I’m sure Postecoglou knows he needs to change, regardless of the injury crisis. Some players haven’t performed, and at times Brennan Johnson’s scoring gave Solanke time to adapt. I think the team is still in transition, still trying to find this kind of confidence.

It would be amazing for the manager to actually win a trophy after a season like this where he’s started by saying that in his second season he’s going to win something.

Q: Is Ange Postecoglou’s job safe if he wins the Europa League?

Louis Saha: I think so, yes.

Everton

Q: Is Jarrad Branthwaite the defender Man Utd need?

Louis Saha: United have Yoro, who’s developing really well, and they have Maguire who can lead. But they might need someone on the left side. It’ll be interesting to see, maybe Martinez can do that job when he comes back.

But Branthwaite, I think he’s been linked for almost two years now. Yes, he’s a terrific player. He wants to improve. He wants a big move, I think, and he deserves it. So I would see this move as something that makes sense.

But at the same time it’s a step up, so you really need to improve because the challenge is bigger. No disrespect with Everton but the pressure is way higher at United.

Any player United signs this summer, defender, midfielder, forward, all of them need to hit the ground running, adapt well, and play with confidence. There’s pressure on United’s transfer strategy.

Q: Do you think Dominic Calvert-Lewin needs to move on in the summer?

Louis Saha: Probably, yes. Sometimes when you stay for a long time in a club, you may be a bit comfortable. You see that his numbers are not as good.

I think since Davin Moyes is coming back, you can see that they have more definition in their game and confidence. He can provide a bit of hope that he can score goals there.

But yeah, sometimes for a career you need a bit of other pressure. He’s been injured for some long periods, and struggled in others. It’s frustrating for Calvin, but I think if he stays then there could be a season when it clicks, and he gets 20 goals.

So it’s a difficult one. But I think when you look at his career, I think it’s maybe a good time to go.

France

Q: Do you think Zinedine Zidane should take over from Didier Deschamps before the 2026 World Cup?

Louis Saha: The timing is not important because, yes, Zidane definitely over the years has declared his love for the job of France. Definitely every French player, every French fan wants to see him linked again with France. Going to Clairefontaine, that’s for sure, it will be exciting to see. He will bring more fans.

Yes, it’s going to be an amazing story to watch. I can’t wait. Yes, but the timing just doesn’t matter. He has already waited, I don’t know, maybe two or three years already without the job. He doesn’t care.

I think Deschamps, even, said that he wants Zinedine Zidane down there at some point.
So, I don’t think that there is this competition within those managers. They want to have the best CV. So, he wants to win the World Cup and let Zidane try to challenge.

Q: If you could pick either Zidane or Keane to be in your perfect midfield, who would you choose?

Louis Saha: It’s a different type of player. Those two players were amazing and I would definitely prefer Zidane because he’s a forward and he will give me assists. Roy would do it but will probably give more foundation to my game. But yes, I would prefer Zidane because he’s a joy to play with. To watch too, but to play with and to link with, it’s just amazing. You feel football in his eyes and you just want to share that. It’s an amazing feeling.

And I think it’s pretty much the same if I had a chance to play with Ronaldinho. Yes, those guys have a different kind of aura.