Earlier this week, the football world was rocked by the sudden departures of Roberto De Zerbi from Brighton and Mauricio Pochettino from Chelsea. Both managers mutually agreed to leave their posts with immediate effect, sparking widespread speculation about their future destinations. Among the many rumours, one of the most intriguing is the possibility of either manager replacing Erik Ten Hag at Manchester United.

 

Amidst this managerial upheaval, INEOS, the company behind the recent appointments of CEO Omar Berrada, Technical Director Jason Wilcox, and Sporting Director Dan Ashworth, has remained tight-lipped about their plans regarding Ten Hag’s tenure. So far, there has been no clear indication whether INEOS will maintain their support for Ten Hag or decide to pursue a new direction.

 

Media reports claims that a decision on Ten Hags Faith will be made after the FA Cup Final. According to the Italian Sports Journalist Gianluca Di Marzio @DiMarzio who tweeted: "At the end of the season, #mufc will say goodbye to Ten Hag. It is certain, they will be saying goodbye to him." [via @_GIFN]

 

 

The Italian Connection

 

The recent tweet from Gianluca Di Marzio, while bold, carries significant weight given his renowned credibility and extensive connections within Italian football. This prompted us to delve deeper into the story, particularly regarding any potential link between Roberto De Zerbi and Manchester United.

 

Adding fuel to the speculation, another credible Italian sports journalist, Alfredo Pedullà, tweeted that "Roberto De Zerbi dreams of becoming the Manchester United manager." [@AlfredoPedulla] Pedullà’s statement, coming from a trusted source, has further intensified the buzz around De Zerbi’s future.

 

Leveraging our close connections with Alfredo Pedullà, we obtained exclusive information and comments during a private conversation earlier this evening. This inside scoop offers intriguing insights into De Zerbi's aspirations and the potential managerial shake-up at Old Trafford.

 

De Zerbis Future according to Pedulla

 

According to an exclusive conversation with Alfredo Pedullà, who has close connections to Roberto De Zerbi and his Italian agency Excellence Sport, sources have revealed that De Zerbi is aware of the INEOS project and the potential managerial changes at Manchester United. It is believed that discussions between Manchester United and De Zerbi’s representatives have been ongoing for several months. This aligns with Gianluca Di Marzio’s bold tweet stating, "At the end of the season, #MUFC will say goodbye to Ten Hag. It is certain, they will be saying goodbye to him," suggesting De Zerbi could be Ten Hag's successor.

 

De Zerbi, who had a contract with Brighton until 2026 with a rumored buyout clause of €15 million, is now a free agent. Pedullà disclosed that the actual buyout clause is €5 million, leading to speculation that several clubs, including Bayern Munich, Juventus, Inter Milan, Napoli, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Barcelona, may have triggered it a month ago.

 

Furthermore, Pedullà confirmed that De Zerbi prefers to remain in the English Premier League, with his ultimate ambition being to manage Manchester United. He also noted that De Zerbi had a positive relationship with Brighton and turned down a contract renewal offer worth €8 million per season.

 

No negotiations have taken place with Juventus, Inter Milan, Napoli, or Bayern Munich, strengthening the possibility of De Zerbi joining Manchester United, with Chelsea or Barcelona as potential alternatives. As of now, Manchester United and INEOS have remained silent on the managerial situation, likely holding off any announcements until after the FA Cup Final.

Reports suggest that there are four shortlisted candidates for the managerial position: Thomas Tuchel, Roberto De Zerbi, Mauricio Pochettino, and Kieran McKenna. However, it has been indicated that INEOS prefers a head coach rather than a traditional manager, someone less involved in transfer decisions and more focused on implementing possession-based, attacking football. Given these criteria, if INEOS decides to replace Ten Hag, De Zerbi is believed to be their top target.

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