Roberto De Zerbi leaves Marseille resignation as Tottenham on alert

Man United links 

Roberto De Zerbi is a notoriously passionate character and the often erratic Italian has departed Marseille’s by mutual consent. His downfall began when Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored an incredible last-gasp header against Real Madrid, which knocked Marseille out of the competition altogether after their 3-0 defeat to Club Brugge.

It sparked a huge inquest at the French giants and initial reports indicated that De Zerbi could be relieved of his duties. It was widely reported that De Zerbi had tendered his resignation but after lengthy talks with the Marseille hierarchy, the 46-year-old continued in his position. But the disastrous defeat to PSG at the weekend was the final straw and an agreement has been reached with De Zerbi’s departure confirmed on Wednesday morning.

Could Roberto De Zerbi walk away from Marseille?

The nightmare Champions League exit infuriated the Marseille fanbase but they were still well-placed in Ligue 1 in third position. The 5-0 hammering by PSG in Le Classique, however, effectively made the Italian’s position untenable and Marseille’s passionate supporters had turned on their manager. De Zerbi was contracted at Marseille until 2027 but his exit will spark speculation as he’s been linked recently with a return to the Premier League with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Interestingly, De Zerbi spoke just twos week ago about his commitment and love for Marseille but the situation has blown up after the Champions League exit. Speaking on January 22nd, De Zerbi said: “Marseille is the right place for me, because the people love football and they feel the passion. It’s a religion more than a sport, and it’s more than a job. If you want to work at the club, you have to eat, drink, and sleep football. At the moment, I feel very good at this club. We’re building something special.”