Roberto De Zerbi addresses Manchester United links

Manchester United’s long-term planning continues to attract intense scrutiny as the club balances short-term stability with future ambition.

With Old Trafford still adjusting to changes in the dugout and hierarchy, speculation around potential managerial options refuses to fade.

United’s recent inconsistency has only fuelled debate about what direction the club could take next.

Every press conference across Europe involving elite coaches now seems to be analysed through a United lens.

And once again, a familiar name has surfaced amid mounting pressure elsewhere.

Over in France, attention has been fixed on events in Ligue 1, where one of Europe’s biggest clubs is navigating a tense moment in their season.

Back-to-back disappointments have raised the temperature around the manager and his squad.

Media noise has grown louder, and questions about the future have followed quickly.

The main focus centres on Olympique de Marseille, who currently sit third in the Ligue 1 standings but are coming off a bruising run of results.

A 2-0 home defeat to Nantes was followed by heartbreak in the Trophee des Champions, where Marseille conceded deep into stoppage time against Paris Saint-Germain before losing on penalties.

With a crucial trip to Angers looming, pressure has intensified on Roberto De Zerbi to steady the ship and silence growing criticism.

De Zerbi’s name has once again been linked with Manchester United, with Foot Mercato reporting he is being monitored as a possible option for next season.

Those rumours gathered pace after comments he previously made about potentially reassessing his future should Medhi Benatia depart the club.

Given United’s ongoing search for clarity around their long-term managerial vision, the Italian’s situation has not gone unnoticed.

However, speaking at a press conference, Roberto de Zerbi was keen to shut down speculation and deliver a defiant message to Marseille supporters, while indirectly cooling talk of a move to Old Trafford.

“No, the criticism that has been, or will be, will never change my mind about my work or the desire I had, want, and will have to stay at this club.

“Criticism from radio stations, former players, criticism intended to harm the club, criticism from those bothered by the fact that I’m Italian, none of it will change what I think of Marseille.

“It’s not the criticism that will make me leave; it’s the opposite,” he said.

Those words are likely to be read closely at Manchester United, where decision-makers are acutely aware of how quickly managerial situations can shift.

De Zerbi remains under contract until 2027, and his public stance suggests no immediate desire to entertain interest from elsewhere, despite the turbulence surrounding his team.