Erik ten Hag's time at Manchester United appears all but over despite the Red Devils' FA Cup win. As a result, several names have been linked with the Old Trafford job since news of the Dutchman's inevitable departure was broken by the Guardian three days ago.
Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Frank, and Kieran McKenna have all been linked with the position but according to the Daily Mail, a "surprise candidate" has emerged.
That man is Roberto de Zerbi, the Italian tactician who recently left Brighton following their disappointing 2023-24 campaign. The Italian head coach has grown in popularity since moving to the Amex from Shakhtar Donetsk and was even linked with the Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea jobs.
According to the report, the 20-time English champions sounded out De Zerbi through intermediaries last week in preparation for Ten Hag's inevitable departure.
While other reports suggest that the decision to sack Ten Hag has not yet been made, the British media is in agreement that this will happen once an end-of-season review is held following the club's abysmal 2023-24 campaign.
De Zerbi left Brighton after overseeing an 11th-placed finish but his departure mainly stemmed from his desire to have control over signings. The Seagulls owner Tony Bloom was unwilling to grant this power to the Italian and thus the two parted ways by mutual agreement.
Would the 44-year-old be granted that power at the Theatre of Dreams if they pursue the Italian? Will the Manchester United players appreciate playing under De Zerbi's structured system, with Roberto's critics labeling his brand of football as restrictive?
Time will tell all but the Red Devils could find themselves in a race with Chelsea. The London giants recently parted ways with Mauricio Pochettino and are on the lookout for a head coach.
