Manchester United must now firmly turn their attention away from one experienced former Premier League manager to replace Ruben Amorim in the long term.
The Red Devils are on the hunt for their seventh permanent head coach in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era of the Premier League club after Ruben Amorim was sacked.
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Amorim’s reign as Manchester United manager lasted only 14 months after Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe brought him to the Premier League club back in 2024.
The 41-year-old left his native homeland and role at Sporting CP to replace Erik ten Hag in the Old Trafford hot seat during the 2024-25 Premier League season.
Amorim’s tenure struggled to convince United fans about his long-term vision and his fractured relationship with Ineos was the final nail in the coffin for his spell.
Roberto De Zerbi is no longer the right fit for Man Utd and the opportunity is no longer worth the risk
Roberto De Zerbi was heavily linked with Manchester United in the past ahead of Ruben Amorim eventually replacing Erik ten Hag at the Premier League club.
Ineos sounded out different managers during their end-of-season review after United’s 2024 FA Cup triumph against Manchester City under Ten Hag’s reign.
Roberto De Zerbi was considered as one potential replacement for former United manager Ten Hag alongside England boss Thomas Tuchel during Ineos’ scouting.
The 7 managers contacted by Ineos about the Man United job before Ruben Amorim’s appointment
- Roberto De Zerbi
- Thomas Tuchel
- Graham Potter
- Thomas Frank
- Xavi
- Mauricio Pochettino
- Marco Silva
The 46-year-old Italian head coach had left Premier League side Brighton at the end of the 2023-24 campaign and was a free agent at the time in the 2024 summer.
However, United could reportedly not agree on the final terms with De Zerbi – nor Thomas Tuchel for that matter – and stuck with Ten Hag by handing him a new contract.
De Zerbi’s name has been floated again around United amid the Red Devils’ pursuit for a new long-term replacement for Amorim ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Roberto De Zerbi’s availability is not enough reason for Man Utd to approach the former Marseille manager
Roberto De Zerbi has become a free agent after it was confirmed on Tuesday that his role at Ligue 1 outfit Marseille had been terminated by mutual consent.
The ex-Brighton manager had been at Marseille since 2024 and De Zerbi was axed after the French side’s 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday.
United could see a real opportunity to land the former Marseille head coach on a free transfer and save the costs of paying for another contracted manager.
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Marseille finished second in Ligue 1 under De Zerbi last season, but the Man Utd-linked manager would be a step back for the Red Devils now.
According to reports from L’Equipe (via The Daily Mail), De Zerbi allegedly told his Marseille players in 2024 that he turned down United for the Ligue 1 outfit.
“This is where I could have been, but I put my passion before money,” he reportedly said, as per the newspaper.
“I came to Marseille for the passion.”
If the so-called ‘passion’ was at Marseille, the Red Devils should firmly keep the door well and truly closed on De Zerbi after he did not seize his chance with United in 2024.
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