Man Utd contact Italian manager to replace Ten Hag, he's impressed Ratcliffe - report

Manchester United have contacted former Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto Di Zerbi over the possibility of replacing Erik ten Hag as their next head coach, according to The Guardian.

The Red Devils ended their campaign on a high note with an FA Cup final win over Manchester City. Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo scored in an impressive 2-1 victory at the Wembley Stadium.

The club have now won trophies in back-to-back seasons, but this has not ended the ongoing speculation over Ten Hag’s future.

The Guardian claim that the club have contacted De Zerbi with regard to succeeding the Dutchman, who is likely to be sacked.

The Italian’s success at Brighton has reportedly impressed United’s co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

De Zerbi would be a wrong option for United

The 44-year-old had a good start to his Brighton managerial career in late 2022. He took over from Graham Potter and was able to secure European football for the first time in Brighton’s history.

However, things went pear-shaped in his second season. The Italian struggled to replicate the same level of performances after the departure of key players in Levi Colwill, Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister.

Brighton backed him with six signings worth £92 million, but De Zerbi could not find the same success. He kept on rotating his players which contributed to the lack of cohesion within the starting XI.

De Zerbi eventually parted ways by mutual consent. In our opinion, he would be a wrong option for United, considering the financial constraints.

It is quite clear that he is not someone who can nurture and improve talents coming through the academy. Ten Hag has the credentials to do so.

We would personally prefer Ten Hag to continue at the helm for another year. The Dutchman should be given the vote of confidence on the back of securing the FA Cup title against the odds.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com