Jainil Shah
Roberto de Zerbi, a potential managerial replacement for Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag?
Manchester United want to play an attractive brand of football, one that creates a culture that fans and players can feel attached to. This led to the Red Devils appointing Erik ten Hag from Ajax in 2022, but things have not gone as planned for the Dutch boss as the Reds from Manchester struggle to meet the expectations that United fans have set for the club.
The new ownership wants to take Manchester United to new heights and Erik ten Hag has been treading on dangerous ground as we go into the conclusive end of the season.
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes believes that Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have already decided regarding the Dutch manager’s future away from Old Trafford.
While Erik ten Hag looks to get Manchester United into the Champions League positions, the officials at Old Trafford are already looking at the potential list of replacements if the 54-year-old is relieved of his duties. One of the names that has been linked with a move to the Reds from Manchester is Roberto de Zerbi.
Roberto de Zerbi has been doing a colossal job at Brighton as he builds a roster accomplishing his style of play that is capable of getting better of any side in the world. Manchester City’s legendary manager Pep Guardiola believes that the Italian is destined to manage a big club in the future.
“I’m sure Roberto can train in any team,” Guardiola speaking about Roberto de Zerbi earlier in the season.
“I don’t have any doubt. He can train Brighton and all the teams around the world. They are top, I was appointed as Barcelona’s first team coach from the fourth division with no experience. Doesn’t mean you have to be at top clubs to be manager of top clubs.”
If Manchester United want to sign him, they will have to shell out a compensation fee expected to be more than £12 million to secure Roberto de Zerbi’s services in the summer.
Brighton’s chief executive Paul Barber admitted that RDZ is free to explore opportunities beyond Amex even if the club “don’t want to lose him”. Speaking to The Athletic, Barber said:
“We don’t want to lose him, he is an outstanding coach, probably one of the best in the world already, and that is going to make him attractive. I think Roberto loves Brighton, he loves the club, the people, the infrastructure that we have, and there is this sense that the work he is doing is good for him as well as for us. That still means at some point in the future he may choose to take that skill base that he has elsewhere — we understand that.”
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For now, Manchester United and Ten Hag have to get their heads down and make an effort to finish in the top four as we head into the business end of the season.
Erik ten Hag & Co. will host Everton at Old Trafford on Saturday as they look to get back to winning ways.
