Man Utd sources reveal genuine ‘admiration’ for ‘influential’ manager endorsed by Guardiola as Amorim warned of sack ‘escalation’

Manchester United are looking at hiring Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi as a potential replacement for Ruben Amorim, sources have told TEAMtalk, as Pep Guardiola’s previous comments on the former Brighton and Hove Albion boss come to light.

Amorim is under immense pressure at Man Utd, as the Red Devils go from bad to worse under the Portuguese manager. Man Utd finished as low as 15^th in the Premier League table and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur last season, and currently sit 14^th in the standings.

Man Utd, who are not involved in any European competition this season, lost to League Two club Grimsby Town in the second round of the Carabao Cup in August.

While Man Utd are behind Amorim at the moment and are willing to give him time, the Old Trafford chiefs are looking at potential candidates should they have to pull the trigger if performances and results do not improve.

TEAMtalk understands that Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner and Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola are two of the prime candidates for Man Utd.

We can now also reveal that former Brighton and Hove Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi is  on the radar of INEOS.

Sources at Man Utd have told TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Dean Jones, that there is admiration for the 46-year-old Italian manager, who is now in charge of Marseille.

According to Jones, there is a chance that, with the international break coming up, Man Utd could rethink their stance on Amorim’s future should the team lose to Sunderland at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday.

Jones said: “One of the names I’m told that could yet emerge to succeed Amorim is Roberto De Zerbi.

“His name hasn’t really appeared much in the past week or so when names have begun to circulate but he is someone they looked at closely before and – perhaps more importantly – continue to admire.

“He has a good record from his time in the Premier League and we have to remember that while United are not actively discussing candidates to succeed Amorim, there are figures at the club who have a responsibility to consider the long-term future and as such need to have to have a contingency plan ready for major situations that arise.

“In line with that, I am told that United do have managers they privately respect and would consider, and my understanding is that De Zerbi is still among those names.

“Let’s see what happens for United at the weekend as to whether this starts escalating. The international break is a time when this is likely to become discussed more properly.”

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Pep Guardiola’s ringing endorsement of Roberto De Zerbi

De Zerbi was appointed the Brighton manager in September 2022 mainly because of his stellar work at Italian club Sassuolo and Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk.

Brighton chairman Tony Bloom said at the time: “I am absolutely thrilled Roberto has agreed to become our new head coach.

“Roberto’s teams play an exciting and courageous brand of football, and I am confident his style and tactical approach will suit our existing squad superbly.”

De Zerbi was a massive success at Brighton, as the Italian led the Seagulls to sixth in the Premier League table in his first season, which was followed by a drop to 11^th in the standings the next campaign but a progression to the last 16 of the Europa League.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is a huge fan of De Zerbi and said in May 2023, as quoted on BBC Sport: “Roberto is one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years.

“There is no team playing the way they play – it’s unique.

“I had the feeling when he arrived the impact he would have in the Premier League would be great – I didn’t expect him to do it in this short space of time.

“He creates 20 or 25 chances per game, better by far than most opponents. He monopolises the ball in a way it hasn’t been for a long time.

“They deserve completely the success they have.”

Guardiola added: “He changed the cuisine. What Brighton are doing is also unique.

“Brighton is the master of when to pass to the free man. They move at the right time. They don’t pass the ball until the opponent moves.

“If you don’t play at a high level he can do whatever he wants against you. They are one of the teams I try to learn a lot from.”

In June 2024, De Zerbi was appointed the manager of Marseille, and he guided the French club to second place in the Ligue 1 table last season.

Marseille are doing well right now, too, with Les Phoceens currently third in the Ligue 1 table, just three points behind defending champions Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon, who are first and second, respectively.

The French giants are enjoying success in the Champions League, too, as they bounced back from a narrow 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu with a 4-0 hammering of Ajax at the Orange Velodrome on Tuesday evening.

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