Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi has broken his silence following being linked to the permanent head coach role at Manchester United.
Manchester United recently appointed Michael Carrick as their head coach for the rest of the season following the sacking of Ruben Amorim.
The Reds have decided to bring in a short-term solution before deciding on their next long-term head coach in the summer transfer window.
While Carrick had the perfect start to life at Old Trafford, with a dominant 2-0 win over Manchester City, he will need to secure many more impressive results to be in contention for the full-time role.
United have been linked with various top level managers, including ex-Brighton and current Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi, who has now spoken on the rumours.
De Zerbi breaks silence on United rumours
De Zerbi, 46, has previously been linked with the managerial role at Old Trafford when he was at Brighton but he has instead ended up in France.
He has impressed at Marseille, who finished second in Ligue 1 last term and currently are third in the table after 18 games this season. They are also competing in the Champions League.
Ahead of their home clash against Liverpool in Europe this week, De Zerbi was asked about the rumours linking him with the United job.
The Italian coach explained how he is focused on his current club ahead of a ‘very crucial’ game but refused to rule out a move away in the future.
“My focus is totally on Marseille. I wanted to come here,” the 46-year-old told reporters.
“The day before a very important, very crucial game, I have no space in my head to think about other things. I feel very well in this city with these players, with this club.
“As for the future, we have got to speak in the next month. In the next year, I don’t know.”
Should United go for De Zerbi?
De Zerbi has proven to be a top manager in the last few years and he could be a good option for United when they consider their options ahead of the summer.
However, there are some question marks over the ex-Brighton boss, including the fact that he seems to be an explosive character. That may not be the best fit in the fire-cooker that is Manchester United.
We saw how the media dismantled the likes of Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim. It is hard to see De Zerbi dealing with those situations much better.
On the pitch, the Italian brings a clear identity to his teams but some may be concerned that his football does not suit the United DNA, which has become a major topic over recent weeks.
It does seem like De Zerbi will be a candidate for the United job ahead of the summer but there could be better choices for the role elsewhere.
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.