Roberto De Zerbi struck a deal with Brighton, becoming the second Italian coach currently in the Premier League alongside Antonio Conte. The Seagulls announced that the former Sassuolo gaffer agreed to a four-year contract and will be introduced Tuesday.
We are delighted to confirm the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as the club’s new head coach! ? pic.twitter.com/tNoNZfFaxQ
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) September 18, 2022
The coach moves to England after the war in Ukraine cut short his stint at Shakhtar Donetsk. In 2021, he elected to leave the Neroverdi after a successful three-year run. They finished 11th in his first campaign and then 8th twice. They boasted one of the most good-looking styles in the Peninsula.
By taking over Brighton, De Zerbi joins a list of 13 Italian technicians that have worked in the Premier League. The first one was Gianluca Vialli at Chelsea, Sky points out. He was followed by Carlo Ancelotti, Paolo Di Canio, Roberto Di Matteo, Gianfranco Zola, Francesco Guidolin, Roberto Mancini, Claudio Ranieri, Walter Mazzarri, and Maurizio Sarri. Attilio Lombardo served as a caretaker manager at Crystal Palace in 1998.
The 43-year-old club succeeds Graham Potter, whom Chelsea appointed after the surprise ousting of Thomas Tuchel. The Blues activated his €23M release clause, making it the most expensive hiring in history. The Seagulls have gotten off to a strong start. They have collected four wins, one draw, and one loss and sit in 4th position.
Our Take on De Zerbi Going to Brighton
It’s a great landing spot for the up-and-coming boss, who will get the chance to replicate what he did at Sassuolo Sassuolo, but with more resources. And it’ll be a nice launching pad to an elite club down the line. Though, it would have been easy to argue he was already a candidate. This takes a quality name off the market for struggling top-level Serie A sides.
 |
Follow us on Google News for more updates on Serie A and Italian football |