Real Murcia President Hints Guti Will Be Named as Zidane's Successor After Turning Down Segunda Club

Real Murcia president Victor Galvez has claimed that his plans to appoint Guti as their new manager were foiled as he is expected to be named as Zinedine Zidane's successor at ​Real Madrid. 

Zidane ​sensationally walked away from his post at the Bernabeu last month following a stunning third consecutive Champions League trophy, with Los Blancos quickly linked to the likes of Mauricio Pochettino and Massimiliano Allegri in the immediate aftermath of his departure. 

Despite Madrid's president Florentino Perez reportedly preferring an experienced manager to take the helm, advances for both ​Tottenham and Juventus's leading men have proved futile. 

Guti, the current Under-18 boss at Real Madrid, has since emerged as a candidate to lead the first team next season but had also been linked with a host of smaller clubs, including Real Murcia and St Mirren. 

Speaking at a press conference Murcia president Galvez revealed that his plans to appoint the 41-year-old at the third-tier club came unstuck by Zidane's departure. 

"Guti is not going to coach Murcia as he will be Real Madrid coach," Galvez said, via La Opinion De Murcia.

"He was the guy I wanted, and it's a shame Zidane didn't take a couple of days longer to make his decision. Guti called me to thank me for my interest."

Gutti played in over 540 games for Real Madrid in a 15-year spell at the club which came to a close in 2010. The 41-year-old scored 77 goals on his way to lifting three ​La Liga titles and securing three Champions League winners medals. 

Should Gutti be appointed he would become the second successive manager to be elevated to the post after spending time with the club's youth division, following in the footsteps of Zidane who made the step up from Real Madrid B in 2016.