Roberto De Zerbi could depart Brighton as contract talks on hold

Roberto De Zerbi, considered a frontrunner for the to-be-vacant Liverpool job, has told Brighton and Hove Albion's owner Tony Bloom that he is not yet willing to sign a new deal amidst interest from elsewhere. The South Coast club are desperate to tie the Italian down to a new contract, but De Zerbi is said to be open to a departure in the summer as both Liverpool and Bayern Munich are said to be interested in signing the former Shakhtar Donetsk manager.

The 44-year-old coach has had spells with numerous smaller Italian sides but initially caught the eye during the years between 2018 and 2021 and Sassuolo, before a move to Ukraine with Shakhtar followed. He left the club after Russia invaded the Ukraine and took charge at Brighton, replacing Graham Potter. De Zerbi has managed 37 wins in 79 games, and an impressive 46.84 percent win record has seen his profile boosted considerably across the continent. Known for an aggressive high press, it is this style of play that has caught the eye of the Liverpool faithful.

It is understood that De Zerbi is seeking guarantees from his current club that they will match his own ambition, and after a relatively quiet January transfer window De Zerbi wants new faces to arrive in the summer.

When asked a potential new deal, De Zerbi quipped: "I want to speak with my club, I have a contract but the problem is not the contract - the problem is to find the same plan, the same target, the same vision for the future."

When he was quizzed about a new contract, he then responded: "We didn't find the agreement. The contract is a part of the future. It's important for me, it's important for everyone but it's a small part, the big part is the plan. We have to speak with the club."

It is understood that Tony Bloom has outlined his vision for the club, but this does not align with De Zerbi's plan. The Italian would rather see multiple new faces join the club, as opposed to big players departing, which has been a general trend at Brighton over the past few seasons.