Real Madrid exit looms for Casemiro as France legend reportedly wants Brazilian at PSG

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"French football legend Zinedine Zidane, according to reports, wants to reunite with Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro should he take the reins at Paris Saint-Germain.

Zidane, who is regarded as Real Madrid’s most successful coach of the last 30 years, has been touted as one of the favourites to take over from Mauricio Pochettino at the end of the season following PSG's UEFA Champions League capitulation at the hands of Real.

Recall that PSG capitulated against Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16, losing 3-1 on the night at the Santiago Bernabeu, and 3-2 on aggregate. This was despite being 1-0 up at half-time against the most successful club in Champions League history.
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Unsurprisingly, that loss to Real Madrid has put Pochettino’s PSG future on the line with a host of top coaches reportedly interested in one of world football’s top coaching jobs.

But Real Madrid great Zidane – who was the star of France’s maiden World Cup title in 1998 – remains the favourite to take over from Pochettino even though he is still rumoured to be holding out for the France national team coaching job.

PSG sporting director Leonardo, himself also a World Cup winner with Brazil in 1994, recently denied claims that his side had already been in contact with Zidane.

However, El Nacional reports that Zidane has already identified Casemiro as an ideal acquisition for his PSG project, with Real Madrid potentially open to a sale for the right price.

The report adds that the 49-year-old Zidane also has his eye on a reunion with another Real Madrid superstar Karim Benzema, but the Spanish club’s president Florentino Perez will be very reluctant to part ways with the Frenchman.

Casemiro, now 30, has registered 30 goals and 28 assists in 322 appearances for Real Madrid in all competitions and recently extended his deal with the club until 2025. But everyone has a price and if PSG offer Real Madrid the right amount of money for the Brazilian, expect him to be swapping the white of Los Blancos for the blue of Les PSG in the near future.

Casemiro’s possible arrival could be part of the reason why social media is filled with reports that PSG could supposedly part ways with as many as nine first-team players in the summer transfer window.

PSG are 15 points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 but after suffering another early Champions League exit, both Spanish daily Marca and its French counterpart L'Equipe are reporting that as many as nine first-team players could be on their way out of PSG.

Soon-to-be free agents Kylian Mbappé and Angel Di Maria are seemingly set to lead the departures, with Mbappé widely expected to complete a free transfer to Real Madrid.

Also on the list are Layvin Kurzawa, Leandro Paredes, Julian Draxler, Idrissa Gueye, Ander Herrera and Thilo Kehrer.

Sergio Ramos, whose time at PSG has been plagued by injuries, could also be on his way out, with Leonardo recently admitting that the signing of the centre-back was a ""mistake"".

As well as the nine players mentioned, Georginio Wijnaldum has supposedly set his sights on a return to the Premier League after failing to make a consistent impact in the side.
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