Bayern Munich dealt ANOTHER blow in pursuit of new manager as Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi becomes the latest to snub a potential move
- Roberto De Zerbi ‘loves’ Brighton and wants to stay at Tony Bloom’s club
- He plans to talk to Bloom and this could put an end to speculation about his future
- Were Jude Bellingham’s Allianz antics out of line? Listen to It’s All Kicking Off! podcast
Roberto De Zerbi has confirmed he would ‘love’ to stay at Brighton after months of speculation over his future – and even suggested he could stay for 20 years.
The Italian has spoken briefly to owner Tony Bloom and is planning more discussions about his future.
He has been linked with some of the biggest jobs in Europe in recent months, including Bayern Munich, Chelsea, AC Milan, Manchester United and Liverpool.
‘We’re going to talk to Tony [Bloom]. I think I would like to stay at Brighton because I love my players. I love this city. I love my club and my fans,” De Zerbi said.
“I said during the meeting with the fans: if I am happy, there is no club that can bring myself to change teams, but I always want to keep my passion.”
Roberto De Zerbi has revealed he wants to stay at Brighton and is in talks with owner Tony Bloom
He has had a brief conversation with owner Bloom, but wants more conversations about his future
Although not as brilliant as their sixth-place finish last year, De Zerbi has still guided Brighton to a respectable season as they sit twelfth in the Premier League.
They also reached the last 16 of the Europa League on their continental debut, but were knocked out 4–1 by Roma.
De Zerbi’s overperformance at the club fueled speculation of a departure, as did his comment in February that he was ‘not close’ to signing a new contract. His current one runs until 2026.
Brief conversations have already taken place, but he wants more extensive conversations with Bloom.
The Zerbi said, “We didn’t talk for long, twenty minutes, but we talked a week ago. I have nothing against Ton. I’m used to telling the truth and the truth is hard to accept.
“When I said that this season can be important for the betterment of everyone, starting with the owner, you may have understood it in a different way. It wasn’t polemical (controversial), it was what I was thinking at the time.
‘It was meant to improve, because when I work at one club I experience the work as if it were my club and I think I will stay for fifteen years. Maybe I can leave tomorrow, but if I work at one club, the passion I put into it, the attitude and the behavior is to stay at that club for 15, 20 years.
The Italian has been linked with several top jobs across Europe, despite a drop from last season
Brighton are twelfth in the Premier League and reached the last sixteen of the Europa League this year
‘I want to improve season after season, match after match, year after year and I always want something more, from myself, from the other people who work with me, everyone. I have a clear conscience, very clear.
‘I want to be happy because I want to compete every match with all my potential qualities in terms of the players, the squad, the playing style, the quality of the players and this season, especially in the last three months, we were able to do that’ not that.
“I think the squad we had when we started this season was enough to compete. If you can rotate the players, you can reach the crucial part of the season in different ways.
‘Some of my players, like Pascal Gross, Lewis Dunk, Danny Wellbeck, Jean Paul van Hecke and Billy Gilmour, played every match for three or four months. It is normal for March and April to be in less than perfect condition.”
