The main reason for Roberto De Zerbi’s shock departure from Brighton has been revealed.
In an unexpected announcement on Saturday, the Italian agreed that he would leave the Seagulls by mutual consent after their season finale at home to Manchester United.
De Zerbi’s contract was not due to expire until 2026 but the 44-year-old is now searching for his next opportunity and is highly rated across Europe following the success of his two seasons in the Premier League.
It was in March, when De Zerbi was being linked with the vacancies at Bayern and Liverpool, that he asked Brighton’s owner-chairman Tony Bloom for end-of-season talks to make sure their ambitions were in alignment.
And it turns out that those talks were not fruitful. De Zerbi’s shock departure is understood to boil down to one core issue with Bloom, with their differing approaches to how the club should operate in the transfer market becoming an irreconcilable matter.
Bloom is unwilling to budge on his principles that have seen Brighton become one of the savviest clubs in the market, while De Zerbi has his view on how the club should progress.
Mail Sport understands that the Italian wanted to take more risks in the market with signings, but that didn’t align with the club’s approach, eventually becoming the crux of the mutual agreement to part ways.
How Brighton currently recruit players broadly falls into two categories.
For players in their teens through to the age of 23, the club will identify players using Bloom’s global data bank and the club’s scouting network, which will see the players improved to the point of being sold on, The Athletic report.
Then, players in their thirties are in the other group and are usually players with winning experience and trophies on their resume. This group bring experience to the squad and help educate the youngsters.
De Zerbi wanted players that fell in between the two core groups who have medals on their CV but would cost more given they are nearing or are in their prime. This approach does not fit in line with Brighton’s model for recruitment.
It is believed that it became clear over a series of three meetings between De Zerbi and Bloom – and with chief executive Paul Barber and technical director David Weir – that their respective ‘visions’ did not match.
That ultimately led to Saturday’s split and Brighton sources have told Mail Sport that despite mutually agreeing to part ways, the Seagulls would receive compensation if another club swooped for their departing manager this summer. De Zerbi did not leave with any form of pay-off, meanwhile.
The announcement of his departure saw him immediately being lined up with taking over Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich this summer. However, it is being denied that the Italian has been secretly lined up to take over at the Allianz Arena.
Word spread in Germany on Saturday night that they are not set to swoop, with the club’s director Max Eberl being quoted as saying he is not a candidate to replace Tuchel.
De Zerbi has also been linked with AC Milan and Juventus, who sacked Massimiliano Allegri on Friday. Chelsea and Manchester United have been speculated, too, with their managers’ futures still uncertain.
Brighton, meanwhile, are understood to be huge admirers of Kieran McKenna, the 38-year-old who led Ipswich to automatic promotion to the Premier League this season. It is unclear whether McKenna would even consider swapping clubs this summer if given the opportunity.
Brighton’s supporters will use Sunday to thank De Zerbi, who led them to a sixth-placed finish last campaign to secure European qualification for the first time in their history.
In a statement on Saturday, 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 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.’
Andrea Maldera, Ricard Segarra, Marcattilio Marcattilii, Vincenzo Teresa, Agostino Tibaudi, Marcello Quinto and Enrico Venturelli will also leave after today’s game. Club coaches Andrew Crofts and Jack Stern will stay.
