Fabrizio Romano Confirms De Zerbi Exit as Manchester United Manager Race Takes Fresh Twist

Manchester United’s prolonged search for a permanent manager has taken another unexpected turn after transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Roberto De Zerbi has “parted ways” with Marseille, effective immediately. The Italian, once a leading candidate for the Old Trafford post, is now back on the market and available without compensation.

De Zerbi, 46, joined Marseille after a high-profile spell at Brighton & Hove Albion and leaves the Ligue 1 side sitting fourth in the table, 12 points adrift of leaders Paris Saint-Germain. Romano broke the news on X, stating that De Zerbi’s tenure in the south of France has ended “with immediate effect.”

The timing of the separation is significant. De Zerbi was repeatedly linked with United before accepting the Marseille role and, according to reports, even showed his Marseille squad evidence of a formal contract offer from the Red Devils to underline his initial commitment to the French club. With that chapter now closed, United’s hierarchy must decide whether to revisit a coach whose high-pressing, possession-based style once appeared tailor-made for the Premier League.

Attention at Carrington, however, remains fixed on interim boss Michael Carrick. The former Middlesbrough manager has overseen a strong start to life in the dugout and is currently the bookmakers’ favourite to be in charge on the opening day of the 2026-27 campaign. Carrick’s odds have shortened on the back of results that have revived hopes of a top-four finish, potentially at the expense of reigning champions Liverpool.

Still, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the new football operations team are known to be admirers of elite coaching talent. De Zerbi’s sudden availability adds another layer of intrigue, while names like Thomas Tuchel—who could become free after England’s forthcoming World Cup campaign—linger on the periphery of United’s long-term thinking.

Whether United double down on Carrick’s promising stewardship or pivot toward an experienced, tactically innovative alternative such as De Zerbi will dominate headlines between now and the end of the 2025-26 season. For now, the managerial carousel has spun once more, and the club’s next move is anything but certain.