In a surprising twist, Zinedine Zidane is poised to make his return to the football world as a commanding figure at a club that has long been a rival to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), marking the end of PSG’s persistent attempts to lure the French football legend back.

Breaking news from France Bleu Provence reports that Zidane has agreed to assume the role of CEO at Olympic Marseille, contingent upon the club’s acquisition by Saudi Arabian investors. If the deal goes through, Zidane will take charge of Marseille’s recruitment and transfer strategies, wielding an initial budget of 300 million euros.

Since stepping away from the helm of Real Madrid in the summer of 2021, Zidane has refrained from returning to football, opting instead to spend quality time with his family. Despite repeated overtures from PSG and several other teams, including Manchester United (MU), the French football icon declined these offers as he believed they weren’t the right fit.

Speculation had been rife that Zidane might stage a comeback at the Bernabeu, especially with his former mentor, Carlo Ancelotti, set to depart at the end of the season to lead the Brazilian national team. However, it appears that Zidane has chosen a different path. He has come to an agreement with Saudi Arabian investors to rejoin Marseille, his hometown club, with the ambition of transforming them into formidable rivals for PSG in Ligue 1 and beyond.

Following his departure from Real Madrid, Zidane initially harbored plans to take the helm of the French national team after the 2022 World Cup. However, with Didier Deschamps continuing in that role, Zidane’s aspirations were left unrealized.