Chelsea-linked manager opens up on ‘future plans’ after confirming exit from Premier League club

Chelsea linked manager Roberto De Zerbi announce his exit from Brighton & Hove Albion

Chelsea-linked manager Roberto De Zerbi is set to leave Brighton & Hove Albion after the end of the season. The Seagulls will face Manchester United in what could be the Italian’s last match as Brighton manager.

De Zerbi took charge of the Seagulls in the midst of the 2022–23 season when Graham Potter was appointed as Blues manager. In his first campaign, he became one of the most famous managers, and in his inaugural campaign, he led Brighton to Europa League qualification.

However, things were different this campaign as De Zerbi lost plenty of his key players and Brighton failed to emulate last season’s form as they are 10^th in the table, and now the Italian boss will bid farewell to the club after spending only a year.

Chelsea have shown interest in appointing De Zerbi as their next manager, as Pochettino’s future continues to be up in the air. After his exit was disclosed, De Zerbi spoke about his time at the club and said via Fabrizio Romano:

“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.”.

What De Zerbi achieved in his first season as Seagulls boss should be laudable; he took them to Europa League qualification after decades and made them one of the most challenging sides. Their last-season performance underscores how astute De Zerbi is, and if given better resources, he can turn any side into a competitive team.

With De Zerbi now available, the Blues could consider him if the Argentine manager is sacked. The Italian has helped young players such as Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo become prominent figures, so he is well aware of developing young squads.

More Chelsea news

• Mauricio Pochettino says Chelsea will fulfil their plan of reaching European competition
• Mauricio Pochettino felt he could lose his job when Chelsea suffered the 4-2 defeat to Wolves
• Fabrizio Romano claims Chelsea have tabled a new bid for Estevao Willian

But honestly, the Blues should continue with Pochettino because he is an ideal manager for us, and given more time, he can build Chelsea into an exciting team. We need to have patience with him, so let’s hope Chelsea puts faith in him and keep him for next season.