Manchester United open talks with rival boss in shock move while Erik ten Hag is still manager: report

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag (Image credit: Getty Images)

As the future of Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag continues to be speculated upon, a fresh report claims that the club have opened talks with one of the Red Devils’ rival managers over the top job at Old Trafford. 

Manchester United are enduring another tough season, currently sitting sixth in the Premier League table, eight points off the Champions League places with just ten games left to play. 

The club’s failure to kick on after last season’s third-place finish means that the pressure is cranking up on Ten Hag, with new minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos team undergoing a review of the club’s football operations.

Roberto De Zerbi has been linked with the Manchester United job

Roberto De Zerbi has been linked with the Manchester United job (Image credit: Getty Images)

The likes of England boss Gareth Southgate and Brentford chief Thomas Frank have been mooted as potential replacements in the media, as has Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi

And it’s the Seagulls coach who is the subject of the latest talk in Spain, as outlet Nacional claims that Red Devils are already ‘negotiating’ with the Italian and that he is ‘the name they have in mind’ for the club’s next boss. 

The report also adds that Barcelona are another side eyeing a move for De Zerbi as they look to replace the outgoing Xavi Hernandez.

De Zerbi is contracted to Brighton until 2026 and has the Seagulls sitting eighth in the Premier League this season. 

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Joe Mewis

For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team.