Brighton and Hove Albion chief executive Paul Barber admits the Seagulls could lose head coach Roberto De Zerbi as the Italian continues to be linked with upcoming vacancies at Liverpool and Barcelona.
De Zerbi has earned plenty of plaudits since arriving in the Premier League in September 2022, leading Brighton to Europa League qualification in his first campaign at the helm.
Brighton will face Roma in a mouthwatering last-16 tie in that competition, with the first leg taking place at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday, while they remain in contention for another top-seven finish in the Premier League.
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De Zerbi’s progressive style has seen him touted as a contender for several big jobs, with Barcelona rumoured to be keen on him as they prepare for Xavi to stand down at the end of the season.
Liverpool could also be in contention for his signature when Jurgen Klopp leaves Anfield at the end of the campaign, with their top target Xabi Alonso also being courted by Bayern Munich.
While Brighton chief Barber knows De Zerbi will likely have offers from bigger clubs, he maintains the former Shakhtar Donetsk and Sassuolo boss is happy on the south coast.
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“We don’t want to lose him, he is an outstanding coach, probably one of the best in the world already, and that is going to make him attractive,” Barber told The Athletic.
“I think Roberto loves Brighton, he loves the club, the people, the infrastructure that we have, and there is this sense that the work he is doing is good for him as well as for us.
“But that still means at some point in the future he may choose to take that skill base that he has elsewhere. We understand that.”
Brighton have been praised for their long-term thinking, having remained competitive despite selling off big names including Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, Alexis Mac Allister, Yves Bissouma, Robert Sanchez and Leandro Trossard in recent years.
De Zerbi’s own appointment came after his predecessor Graham Potter was poached by Chelsea, and Barber says Brighton will be prepared for every eventuality.
“The risk for us on the field is obvious. We have a very open, attacking style of play and occasionally that will be unpicked,” Barber continued.
“Off the field, because what he is doing is so attractive, so high-profile, so talked about, it creates risk for us in a different way in that Roberto becomes very desirable.
“We are aware of that and I have said for years now, the better we do, the higher profile our people become on and off the field, and ironically the more vulnerable we become to losing them.
“We are not stupid. If people are poached, they don’t go quickly or cheaply, and we always look to a plan that we have in place for that eventuality.”
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