Premier League side Brighton moved quickly to find a new head coach after Graham Potter departed for Chelsea earlier this month. The club announced over the weekend that they selected Roberto De Zerbi as the man for the job, with the Italian joining on a four-year deal.
Reportedly, Brighton had De Zerbi as their primary target as soon as it was clear Potter was leaving. The Athletic reports that Brighton didn’t even hold talks with any other candidate besides the 43-year-old former Sassuolo head coach.
“We feel Roberto is the ideal cultural and technical fit for Brighton & Hove Albion, and the right person to continue the club’s progress and work with this outstanding group of players,” said chief executive Paul Barber in a statement.
De Zerbi will be tasked with continuing the great job Potter was doing with Brighton in recent years. Potter led Brighton to a surprising no. 9 finish in Premier League in 2021–22 and had them in the Top 4 before departing.
Roberto De Zerbi started his coaching career in the lower ranks of the Italian league before working his way up the ladder. He was particularly successful with Sassuolo between 2018 and 2021, where he overachieved with a modest squad and finished eighth in Seria A in consecutive seasons. Most recently, De Zerbi was with Shakhtar Donetsk, leading the club to the Ukrainian Super Cup title in during his short time in charge.
