In 1996, Newcastle missed a chance to sign Zidane for £1.2 million, as scouts did not rate the French legend rationally, resulting in the team not buying him.
Bordeaux wanted to sell Zidane at the time, and then Newcastle head coach Kevin Keegan offered the player through agent Barry Sillman.
But Newcastle turned down the opportunity, and Silman told reporters: "The day I went to see Zidane, he had the flu and they only let him play at half-time, but he scored one goal and then a second goal."
"Ten minutes later, I said to Robbie (the former West Ham player) that we have to try to bring him back.
"I came back to the office and said, 'I've seen this player and I'll put him in Kevin Keegan's position and if the deal is done, I promise to take care of him.'" ”
Newcastle then went into the initial job, and they hired a scout to observe Zidane the whole time.
Although Zidane was already a France international at the time, coach Keegan's report in the hands of scouts was not impressive.
Silman added: "Keegan got reports from people who observed him that he had no chance of succeeding and that at best he could play for Wolves, who were at the bottom of the first division at the time."
This is undoubtedly a humiliation for Zidane, and for this statement, Silman said: "I called Kevin Keegan and said, 'Who the hell are you sending to see this player, it must be the damn Steve Wonder or Ray Charles'. ”
Newcastle coach Keegan laughed and said that was the man they relied on in France, that was his report. He said he had seen the players, knew the players and didn't even think he was capable enough to play for Wolves, who, as mentioned earlier, are at the bottom of League One.
In 1996, Zidane was nominated Ligue 1 Player of the Year and eventually chose the famous black and white striped shirt, Juventus.
In the end, Newcastle missed out on the superstar, but imagine if Zidane had actually gone to Newcastle, would it have developed into the way it is now?