Manchester United have reportedly received a setback in their hopes of landing Brighton & Hove Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi in the future.
A previous report suggested that potential investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe was planning to replace Erik ten Hag with the Italian coach.
Ratcliffe is expected to finalise his minority investment in the near future, with the INEOS owner set to pay around £1.4bn for 25% of the club.
While a conflicting report suggests Ratcliffe has no plans to sack Ten Hag, the Dutchman's future continues to attract speculation.
Man United have struggled to find their best form this season, having won 10, drawn one and lost 10 of their 21 competitive matches.
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They are at risk of being eliminated from the Champions League group stage, while they currently sit in seventh place in the Premier League table following Saturday's defeat to Newcastle United.
With Ten Hag under pressure to pick up consistent results, Man United have seemingly been keeping tabs on De Zerbi's situation.
However, according to Football Insider, their hopes of appointing him in the future have received a significant setback.
The Brighton board are happy with De Zerbi's work since his appointment in September 2022 and want to reward his efforts with a new deal.
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De Zerbi, who has also been linked with Real Madrid, already has a contract until June 2026 and is open to the prospect of extending his stay with the South-coast club
The Italian guided the Seagulls to a sixth-placed finish last season, securing European football for the first time in the club's history.
They confirmed their passage to the knockout rounds of the Europa League with a 1-0 win over AEK Athens in Thursday's away clash.
Despite losing to Chelsea on Sunday, the Seagulls remain in the top half of the Premier League table with 22 points to their name.
