Barcelona Considering Sassuolo Manager Roberto De Zerbi as Ernesto Valverde Replacement
Barcelona are weighing up potential replacements for manager Ernesto Valverde, whose contract at the Nou Camp expires in June 2019.
Despite Valverde leading Barcelona to a double of La Liga and Copa del Rey last season, many fans have never really warmed to the former Athletic Bilbao boss and it is unclear whether he will be offered an extension to his current deal.
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According to Corriere dello Sport (via Sport), one manager that Barcelona are considering as a possible replacement for Valverde is Sassuolo boss Roberto de Zerbi, who is known for an exciting, attacking style of play.
De Zerbi nearly moved to Spain last summer as he had reached a preliminary agreement to become the new manager at Las Palmas before judicial problems saw the appointment fall through.
De Zerbi has great potential but his CV is significantly weaker than Valverde's, so it would be a risk to replace the seasoned Spaniard with the inexperienced Italian.
His first Serie A job at Palermo lasted just 13 games, losing every home match and winning just one away game before he was sacked.
Last season, De Zerbi took over as manager of Serie A newcomers Benevento after they had lost their first nine matches of the season. He failed to save them from relegation but earned a respectable 21 points and was praised for his tactical approach.
As a player, De Zerbi spent most of his career in Italy, most famously at Napoli between 2006 and 2010, though it was with CFR Cluj in Romania that he won the only major honours of his career.
