Bayern Munich have addressed rumours that Roberto De Zerbi could take over from Thomas Tuchel at the Bavarian giants this summer following the news that the Italian will leave Brighton at the end of this season.
Brighton announced earlier on Saturday that their Premier League game at home to Manchester United on Sunday will be De Zerbi's last in charge of the Seagulls.
"Brighton & Hove Albion has confirmed that head coach Roberto De Zerbi will leave the club after tomorrow’s final Premier League match of the season against Manchester United," the south coast club wrote on social media.
"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," 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."
De Zerbi said: "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."
De Zerbi has previously been linked with a number of top jobs, including Barcelona and AC Milan, and it was rumoured on Saturday that the Italian could take over at Bayern.
After the Bavarians lost 4-2 to Hoffenheim on Saturday to drop to third place in the Bundesliga in Tuchel's last game in charge, club director Max Eberl was asked if he would deny it if the club's next manager would be Italian and he replied: "Yes".
Bayern have also been linked with the likes of Roger Schmidt, Hansi Flick, Zinedine Zidane and Jose Mourinho as they seek a replacement for Tuchel.
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