Didier Deschamps has emerged on Manchester United's radar. The former France boss is one of the names being weighed up as the English club hunt for a new manager, with the team mired in instability and poor results under current coach Michael Carrick. Yet the Frenchman does not appear enthusiastic about taking on a fresh challenge right now.
According to "Foot Mercato", United contacted Deschamps in recent days to gauge his willingness to take over at Old Trafford, after his name began circulating among the options on the table. The board want to land the right man to bring the club back into title contention.
Carrick could lose his job despite a thrilling 3-2 win over Roma in the UEFA Champions League. United's management are sounding out several coaches, Julian Nagelsmann and Unai Emery among them. Emery, though, looks closer to extending his contract with Aston Villa, which only complicates the search.
Deschamps addressed his future last June, before his final World Cup with France. "I do not rule anything out," he said, after 14 years leading Les Bleus. He then stepped away from the pressures of football to enjoy time with family and friends.
Linked with a string of European clubs on the lookout for a new boss, Deschamps does not appear ready to accept any offer. United are in a difficult spell, dogged by sliding results, unhappy supporters and criticism of their transfer policy. All of it makes the Old Trafford job an unappealing prospect for him at the moment.
The Premier League is familiar territory. Deschamps wore the Chelsea shirt during the 1999-2000 season after leaving Juventus. His name was also linked earlier with Real Madrid, a move he was willing to make, before the Spanish club turned to Jose Mourinho instead.
A return to coaching is not off the table. Deschamps feels no rush, though, studying his options calmly and perhaps preferring to wait until the next transfer window before deciding on his next destination. Speculation over his future keeps building as his name is tied to more than one European club.