Roberto de Zerbi ‘fits Liverpool more than Manchester United’ amid suggestions that the Brighton and Hove Albion coach could replace either Jurgen Klopp or Erik ten Hag at one of the Premier League’s big-hitters.
Roberto de Zerbi, after guiding Brighton into Europe for the first time and leaving Pep Guardiola spellbound with his free-flowing brand of super-technical football, has earned himself a place on Liverpool’s post-Klopp wishlist.
But could a North West battle soon be raging along the M52?
TalkSPORT report that Manchester United are also big fans of the 44-year-old Italian, with Erik ten Hag’s job up in the air as Ineos conduct a deep dive into the litany of on and off-the-pitch issues at Old Trafford.
Manchester United or Liverpool for Roberto de Zerbi?
One former First Division champion feels that De Zerbi may be more at home at Anfield, however, claiming that De Zerbi’s style of play and his chest-thumping personality makes him a natural successor for Jurgen Klopp.
“I think he fits Liverpool more than Man United,” Perry Groves, a two-time league champion with Arsenal, tells TalkSPORT (28 February, 1pm).
“The football is front-foot, attacking. (Similar to) Jurgen Klopp’s mayhem football. And you look at what he’s done for Brighton. Sixth in the Premier Legue, get them into the Europa League and win that (group) at a canter.
“He improves players individually. Alexis Mac Allister (now at Liverpool), Moises Caicedo, Leandro Trossard, Billy Gilmour. Pascal Gross has improved from (the age of) 30. Solly March was brilliant.
“That massive character he has, that’s what Jurgen Klopp has. So I think he fits Liverpool more than Manchester United.”
Erik ten Hag fighting for his future
Of course, the alternative argument is that – while De Zerbi certainly appears to have more in common with Klopp than the more methodical Ten Hag – a manager of his principles and persona may be what Man United need to wake the sleeping giants from their eternal slumber.
According to reports, Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe is also a huge admirer of the man De Zerbi succeeded at Brighton, with Graham Potter’s poor spell at a basket case Chelsea unlikely to count against him should the axe fall on Ten Hag.
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