The Italian's exit comes in the wake of a heavy 5-0 defeat to bitter rivals Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille's elimination from the Champions League after a 3-0 loss to Club Brugge.

De Zerbi, 46, took charge of the Ligue 1 side in June 2024 after a two-year spell at Brighton, where he notably guided the Premier League club to sixth place in his first season. Prior to that, he had managed Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. During his debut campaign with Marseille, he led the team to second place in Ligue 1, finishing behind PSG. However, the current season has seen a sharp decline in form, with the club now fourth in the table, 12 points adrift of the leaders.

"Olympique de Marseille and Roberto De Zerbi, coach of the first team, have announced the end of their collaboration by mutual agreement," the club said in a statement. "Following discussions between all stakeholders in the club's management - the owner, president, director of football, and coach - it was decided to make a change at the helm of the first team. This was a difficult collective decision, taken after careful consideration in the best interests of the club, in order to respond to the sporting challenges of the end of the season."

The club added: "Olympique de Marseille would like to thank Roberto De Zerbi for his dedication, commitment, professionalism, and seriousness, which were particularly evident in the team's second-place finish in the 2024-25 season. The club wishes him all the best for the rest of his career."

De Zerbi's departure coincides with turmoil at Tottenham, where Thomas Frank was sacked following a 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle, leaving Spurs just five points above the relegation zone. Bookmakers have now installed De Zerbi as the favourite to take over at Spurs, a role he was reportedly considered for in 2023 before Ange Postecoglou's appointment. While former manager Mauricio Pochettino remains a long-term option, his commitments with the USA national team at the home World Cup mean he is unlikely to be available until the end of the season.

As De Zerbi leaves Marseille, speculation grows over his next destination, with a return to the Premier League now firmly on the horizon.

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