Man Utd Handed Opportunity As Prominent Manager Target Exits Club

Michael Carrick’s currently holding the reins but isn’t guaranteed to stay at Old Trafford.

A huge decision for Man Utd to make. | Ian Kington/AFP/Getty Images

Marseille have confirmed the departure of manager Roberto De Zerbi, a long-time target for those in charge at Manchester United.

While De Zerbi, formerly of Brighton & Hove Albion, had publicly vowed to remain with Marseille just a few weeks ago, reports claim he changed his stance due to concerns over a lack of support from the players. Sunday’s 5–0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain proved to be the final straw and Marseille confirmed the “difficult decision” to part ways with De Zerbi by mutual agreement.

The Italian coach has plenty of admirers in the Premier League from his stint at the Amex Stadium, with United known to be huge fans.

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Man Utd Finally Handed Path to Hire De Zerbi

Roberto De Zerbi is a long-time target. | KURT DESPLENTER/Belga/AFP/Getty Images

United’s interest in De Zerbi was first formalised during the infamous end-of-season review in the summer of 2024. Club officials were considering the future of Erik ten Hag and spoke directly with De Zerbi, going as far as to discuss the terms of a potential contract, before ultimately persisting with the Dutchman.

De Zerbi joined Marseille soon after and caught the eye in his debut season, lifting Marseille up from eighth to second in Ligue 1. That impressive showing ensured he remained in the thoughts of United and other clubs—Tottenham Hotspur spoke with the Italian as recently as the summer of 2025.

Everything seemed rosy for De Zerbi at Marseille, so much so that he felt like an impossible target for United as they prepare to appoint a new permanent manager in the summer. Now, it could not be easier to strike a deal.

Back in January, when links to De Zerbi resurfaced in the aftermath of Ruben Amorim’s Old Trafford exit, the Italian confessed his love for the Premier League.

“The Premier League is absolutely the best league in the world, and I have great memories of when I worked in Brighton,” he admitted. “It was an amazing experience for me, and I feel the league is getting better and better.”

If United do want to hire De Zerbi, they may have to register their interest soon. Spurs are facing a major crossroads over their own manager, Thomas Frank, and may be interested in turning to the boss with whom they spoke before hiring the Dane.

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Man Utd’s Alternative Manager Targets

Michael Carrick will hope to be in the running. | Izzy Poles/AMA/Getty Images

If United are not 100% certain on De Zerbi, they need not make any rash decisions. The appointment of Michael Carrick as an interim boss gives them plenty of time to consider their options, which is exactly what club officials appear to be doing.

De Zerbi is clearly a simple target, but there are a number of other big names who should be considered before any final decisions are made.

In the Premier League, Oliver Glasner will leave Crystal Palace this summer and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola is another expected to take a step up in the near future. There have even been ambitious calls for United to try and lure Unai Emery away from Aston Villa.

If United want to cast their net wider, U.S. men’s national team boss Mauricio Pochettino and England’s Thomas Tuchel will both be out of contract after the World Cup. Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany contract runs until 2028 but an approach could be made to gauge his interest in an early return to club football.

Then there’s Carrick himself. With four wins and a draw from his first five games, the temporary manager has made a good impression and a number of players have openly admitted their delight towards working with him. Whether United believe there are genuine prospects of success under the former midfielder will have to be discussed if the Red Devils enjoy a strong end to the season.

The benefit to De Zerbi is that they can speak with the Italian immediately. There are no obstacles, no clubs blocking talks or risks of potential distractions. This is the sort of opportunity United have been waiting for. Now, they must decide whether to take it.

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