Roberto De Zerbi: Manchester United dealt blow in new manager search as target confirms stay | OneFootball

Italian has been linked with the top job at Old Trafford

Manchester United have been handed a blow in their search for a new manager after one of their targets confirmed that he was staying put at his current club.

Roberto De Zerbi, the Marseille boss, had looked to be on the brink of the sack at the Orange Velodrome after the Ligue 1 side failed to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages.

RMC Sport reported on Thursday that the French club were considering sacking the 46-year-old.

The former Brighton head coach has been linked with taking over the reins at Old Trafford, where Michael Carrick is currently at the helm, contracted until the end of the campaign.

Now, however, it seems as though De Zerbi will remain in the south of France, at least until the end of the season.

“I am still here, I’m now here before you, that is the truth,” De Zerbi said on Friday ahead of Marseille’s Ligue 1 encounter with Paris FC.

“Pablo Longoria and Medhi Benatia, we spoke last night. We got together to try to find the best possible solution. This match [the 3-0 defeat by Club Brugge] is also partly my fault.”

The Italian, who has also managed Shakhtar Donetsk, was asked if he would remain in position until the end of the season.

“There is nothing to confirm,” De Zerbi replied. “I was manager of Marseille, and I still am now.”

“I think I have the strength to stay at Marseille for six or seven seasons, it’s not a question. What annoys me is the defeat. It’s not a question of passion but a feeling of powerlessness to lose in that manner.

“They are defeats which stay with you, we have the strength to get ourselves back up like we have multiple times last season.”

According to bookmakers, De Zerbi has ranked highly amongst the contenders to take over at United next season, along with the likes of Oliver Glasner and Thomas Tuchel.

Carrick tops the odds list as the favourite to succeed Amorim full time, and he has made a superb start to his second interim reign, leading the Red Devils to wins over Manchester City and Arsenal.