Is Carrick feeling the heat? Roberto De Zerbi has parted ways with Olympique Marseille, paving the way to manage Manchester United.
On 11 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Fabrizio Romano reported that Roberto De Zerbi has immediately parted ways with Olympique Marseille following direct talks and mutual reflection between both parties.
It was confirmed there were no conflicts between De Zerbi, club management, and players. De Zerbi believed this was the best solution for Marseille.
De Zerbi’s departure came after Marseille suffered a heavy 0-5 defeat to their key rival Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday night. This result placed Marseille fourth in Ligue 1, trailing league leaders PSG by 12 points.
As a result, the French Cup remains Marseille’s sole realistic chance for a trophy this season, with an upcoming quarter-final match against Toulouse next month. It is believed De Zerbi himself decided on the early departure after the heavy loss to PSG became too difficult to accept.
De Zerbi took over Marseille in 2024 and guided the team to a second-place league finish in his first season, despite trailing PSG by 19 points. Across 69 matches in all competitions, he won 39 and lost 22.
De Zerbi’s availability is likely to draw close attention from Manchester United, as earlier reports identified him as a long-term managerial candidate following Ruben Amorim’s dismissal in early January. The club appointed Michael Carrick as interim manager until season’s end.
While Carrick has led the team to four consecutive wins and one draw, and may stay on, the club plans to decide on a permanent manager in the summer. De Zerbi is expected to be on the shortlist alongside Mauricio Pochettino, Oliver Glasner, Thomas Tuchel, and Gareth Southgate.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur’s management also admires De Zerbi’s abilities and may consider him as a candidate if Thomas Frank is dismissed after their 1-2 loss to Newcastle, which dropped Spurs to 16th place, just five points above the relegation zone.