Manchester United have placed Roberto De Zerbi on their list of potential managers as they prepare to hire a permanent replacement for Ruben Amorim.
Michael Carrick has emerged as one of the leading candidates for the job at Old Trafford after his impressive tenure as interim manager, but…
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Former Manchester United midfielder Carrick won his first four games in charge of the Red Devils, leading surprise victories over rivals Manchester City and title favourites Arsenal.
In fact, Carrick went seven games before suffering his first defeat, United’s unbeaten streak coming to an end against Newcastle United last week.
Despite the initial setback, Manchester United are still third in the Premier League – they were in fifth place when Amorim was sacked – and are on track to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
However, while Carrick has definitely increased his chances of landing the job on a permanent basis, United are keeping all options open and have no intention of making a decision until the end of the season.
It was believed that England manager Thomas Tuchel and Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner were two of the leading candidates for the Manchester United job when Amorim left the club after 14 months at the helm.
However, Tuchel has since signed a contract extension with the Three Lions, while Glasner has been criticised for the way he is handling his impending departure from Selhurst Park.
There are, of course, other options available for Manchester United, with the Daily Telegraph saying that De Zerbi “appears to be a prominent candidate on their list”.
De Zerbi, 46, had an impressive spell at Brighton before leaving the Premier League in 2024 and taking over Marseille.
The passionate Italian led Marseille to a second-place finish in Ligue 1 last season and had a promising start to the current season before agreeing to step aside in February.
De Zerbi has ambitions to return to the Premier League and is “eager” to take over Manchester United, according to The Telegraph.
It is claimed that his forward-leaning attacking football is admired by leading figures at Old Trafford, while the management of Manchester City has also been impressed.
Jaap Stam has gone public with his support for De Zerbi for the Manchester United job, insisting that he would be “very happy” if he was chosen as Amorim’s long-term replacement.
“I like De Zerbi very much, you know, because of how he performed at Brighton and also at Marseille,” Stam said.
“The way he plays with his teams, because he plays possession-based football, he’s very good with the ball. He also puts the players in certain positions that make it very difficult for the opponent to pressure them.
“You know, he’s going forward, he’s attacking. Scores a lot of goals, sometimes concedes, but you know that as a manager.
“But I think he’s also a good leader. I think he’s also good with the players and gives them confidence, gives them the attention they need – and not just the first eleven, but also the other players in the squad.
“That’s what you need at a big club like Manchester United. So I’d be very happy if they don’t go for Carrick and that they go for him.”
Tottenham have been heavily linked with De Zerbi, first after Ange Postecoglou was sacked in the summer, and then after his replacement Thomas Frank was sacked last month.
Spurs have already held talks to hire De Zerbi in the summer, but that will depend on the north London club avoiding relegation to the Championship.
Five straight Premier League defeats have left Tottenham in 16th place in the table, just one point above the dreaded relegation zone.
The tests don’t get any easier for Spurs, who face reigning Premier League champions Liverpool on Sunday. Manchester United, on the other hand, are back in action on the same day against Aston Villa.
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