It has been announced that Roberto De Zerbi will step down as Brighton manager following their final game of the season at home to Manchester United on Sunday.
De Zerbi, 44, has spent the past 20 months at Brighton, taking the Seagulls to their first-ever European campaign as they finished in sixth place last season, their highest-ever top-flight finish.
The Seagulls reached the last 16 of the Europa League this season but injuries have impacted them massively and they’ve had a very poor second half of the season as reports continued to swirl that De Zerbi could be leaving.
Now it has been confirmed the Italian coach is moving on after their game against United, with the Seagulls knowing a win would basically guarantee a top 10 finish.
Brighton chairman thanks Roberto De Zerbi
“Roberto has given us two excellent seasons of service in which he has led the club to new heights, not least our first ever European campaign which will live long in the memory of Albion fans,” Brighton chairman Tony Bloom said.
“We have mutually agreed to end Roberto’s contract at a time that suits both parties allowing us the earliest opportunity to plan for next season, and Roberto plenty of time to consider his next move and his future. I am sure our fans will give Roberto and his staff a wonderful and fully deserved send off at the Amex before, during and after tomorrow’s match. In the meantime, I’d like to thank Roberto and his staff for all their hard work in the past two seasons. They all leave our club on good terms and with our very best wishes for the future.”
Roberto de Zerbi added: “I am very sad to be leaving Brighton, but I am very proud of what my players and staff have achieved with the support of everyone at the club and our amazing fans in the past two historical seasons.
“We have agreed to end my time at Brighton so that the club and I can continue to work in the way that suits each of us best, following our own ideas and visions, as well as our work and human values. I have really enjoyed an intense and challenging two years working in the Premier League, not least competing in four major competitions this season. Leaving now provides me with time to take a break before deciding on my future plans.”
Brighton confirmed that coaches Andrea Maldera, Ricard Segarra, Marcattilio Marcattilii, Vincenzo Teresa, Agostino Tibaudi, Marcello Quinto and Enrico Venturelli will also depart, while coaches Andrew Crofts and Jack Stern will remain.
What next for Brighton, De Zerbi?
The Italian coach has ushered in an intense, possession-based and high-pressing style at Brighton and took them on to new heights which nobody thought was possible after Graham Potter left for Chelsea in September 2022.
But De Zerbi has clearly wanted a fresh challenge for a while and he has been linked with the Liverpool, Manchester United and Bayern Munich jobs, among others. He will clearly land at a huge club in Europe (probably Bayern Munich) as his work at Brighton was very impressive and mirrored the fine job he did at Sassuolo in Italy. But he just seemed to run out of patient with the financial limitations at Brighton with their buy low, sell high model.
As for Brighton, well, they usually go with a left-field option for managers and players, so who knows which direction Tony Bloom will go in. But it’s fair to say it will be someone who plays attractive football and builds on what Potter started and De Zerbi tweaked over the last two seasons. Kieran McKenna is expected to be Brighton’s main target after he worked wonders to get Ipswich Town promoted to the Premier League.
Another name to keep an eye on is Russell Martin, who has done a very good job at Southampton as they’re in the Championship playoff final, is from Brighton and is a fan of the club and has been linked with potentially replacing De Zerbi in the past. His style of football would suit this Brighton squad extremely well.
One final name: a return for Graham Potter, anyone? Brighton fans weren’t delighted with the way Potter left for Chelsea in September 2022 but he and the club fit each other well.