Sir Alex Ferguson impressed by Laurent Blanc

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has praised the way Laurent Blanc has turned around the fortunes of the French national team.

Blanc enjoyed a successful two-year stint at Old Trafford during the latter stages of his playing career, and Ferguson has praised the managerial "qualities" of the French boss.

"The France team is more balanced and has become a winning team again. As in 1998, it has established a balance between young and experienced players," Ferguson told RMC Sport.

"When Laurent played in Manchester he followed our training methods very carefully. That's very intelligent and obviously he has qualities as a coach because he made Les Bleus a winning team again."

Blanc has been heavily linked with the Chelsea position in recent weeks.