Roberto De Zerbi has further clarified the situation regarding his Brighton future amid ongoing links to the soon-to-be-vacant Liverpool manager’s role.
Since previous frontrunner and Anfield legend Xabi Alonso confirmed his intention to stay at Bundesliga champions-elect Bayer Leverkusen beyond the end of the season, De Zerbi has been among the coaches tipped to now be in the running to succeed Jurgen Klopp when he ends his glittering nine-year reign on Merseyside in the summer.
The Italian has been strongly linked with the Liverpool job alongside the likes of Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim, with German duo Julian Nagelsmann and Thomas Tuchel among the other names connected with the post at this stage.
De Zerbi revealed before his Brighton side lost 2-1 in a thrilling Premier League contest at Anfield on Sunday that he was no closer to signing an extension to his current contract at the Amex Stadium that is due to expire in the summer of 2026, stressing the need for further talks with chairman Tony Bloom to “find the same plan, the same target, the same vision for the future”.
Such an admission has inevitably led to further question marks over De Zerbi’s immediate and long-term future at Brighton, with the highly-rated former Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk coach linked with several other major European clubs besides Liverpool including Bayern Munich, who will be replacing Tuchel at the end of a torrid season by their usual lofty standards.
Expanding further on his future after Sunday’s game against Liverpool, De Zerbi said: “I’m gonna speak to Tony Bloom about next season’s plans and then I’ll decide.
“I have another two years of contract. To work next season in Brighton, I don’t need to extend another year or another two years the contract.
“I can stay, I can work in Brighton with an extension, without an extension. Nothing changes. For that I said yesterday that the moment we finish the discussion about the contract, but not because I decided yet to leave.
“No, no. My focus is on Brighton this season, the next season. But the next season, before to start the season, I would like to speak and I would like to listen to the plan of the team. It is a serious thing.”
