Roberto De Zerbi Man United manager statement could change everything for Ruben Amorim

If the latest reports around Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi are true then there is a totally new look to Manchester United's summer managerial business. As Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos hierarchy attempted to change coach at Old Trafford, the Italian was one of many considered.

Despite his impressive first 12 months in England - in which he led Brighton to a Europa League place, playing some of the smoothest football in the country - De Zerbi tanked by the end. He went from an adored passion machine on the sidelines to being actively wanted out by the same fans.

Brighton followed up their historic sixth-spot finish with a bottom-half one. De Zerbi saw out a single full season - he took over in October of the 2022/23 campaign after Graham Potter was poached by Chelsea - and left. Ironically, his last game was against United.

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The Italian's exit from the south coast was announced days before United visited the Amex Stadium on the final day of the season. Erik ten Hag was expected to leave his post as well at the time. It had been suggested he would be dismissed regardless of the result in the FA Cup final.

De Zerbi, as a young, charismatic head coach with (some) proven success in the Premier League and a stock that remained high even after his struggles, was unsurprisingly widely tipped to be in the mix for Ten Hag's job. What followed was just as unsurprisingly ugly.

Ten Hag was kept in purgatory as Ineos searched for a replacement. De Zerbi was one of several spoken to. After falling short at each hurdle to appoint a successor, Ten Hag