Manchester United are reportedly becoming “very serious” about one of their summer managerial targets, two years on from first wanting him.
Michael Carrick has a significant challenge on his hands as he oversees Manchester United’s final 16 matches of the season.
His first outing back at the club could not have gone much better. A convincing 2-0 victory over Manchester City last weekend injected belief into the squad and lifted the mood among supporters, but there is still plenty of work to be done before the season can be judged a success.
The club have set Carrick the target of securing Champions League football for next year. Achieving that would likely mean finishing in the Premier League’s top four, although a fifth-place finish could also be enough if English clubs progress deep into European competition.
As Carrick concentrates on results on the pitch, United are already looking ahead. Plans are being put in place to appoint a new permanent manager, while preparations are also beginning for the 2026 summer transfer window, including potential sales and signings.
United becoming serious about De Zerbi
It has already been outlined that United’s board are looking for a manager with Premier League-winning experience, with former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel and ex-Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi reportedly the two leading candidates in their hunt so far.
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, the latter is making serious traction. Speaking to The United Stand on YouTube, Jcaobs explained that United are becoming “very serious” with the Italian.
“I’m told that reports linking Roberto De Zerbi are accurate as well,” Jacobs explained. “Manchester United are going to be very serious about him.”
De Zerbi managed 70 Premier League fixtures with Brighton, accumulating 97 points in that time with 26 wins, 19 draws, and 25 losses.
Why De Zerbi rejected United last time
This is not the first time that the 46-year-old has been linked with United. He, alongside Tuchel again, was a leading candidate to take over in the summer of 2024, before Erik ten Hag ultimately stayed on.
Read More: Manchester United legend says Rúben Amorim ‘got it right’ with risky summer signing
According to The Athletic’s Andy Mitten, after Tuchel confirmed in 2024 that he was not yet ready to take the United job, “De Zerbi became the frontrunner, and financial terms were discussed with the Italian in line with what United felt was fair.
“Those terms were rejected, and the club chose not to improve them. De Zerbi’s next job was instead at Marseille in France, where he’s unlikely to be on the same level of pay as a United head coach would be getting.”
With De Zerbi’s Marseille team sitting third in Ligue 1 and very much in the race for Champions League spots, the Italian has continued to impress after his stint with Brighton.
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is streamed live every Thursday at 14:00 pm (GMT) on the United View YouTube channel.