Next Brighton manager: Pep Guardiola provides verdict on No1 target Roberto De Zerbi – amid Ange Postecoglou and Kjetil Knutsen link

Former Napoli midfielder and Shakhtar Donetsk manager De Zerbi – along with Norwegian Kjetil Knutsen and Celtic’s Ange Postecoglou – has emerged as a leading candidate for the Brighton top job after Graham Potter and his managerial team left last week for Chelsea.

De Zerbi, 43, has previously managed at Foggia, Palermo, Benevento and Sassuolo where he gained a reputation as a forward thinking coach, playing an attractive brand of football in Serie A.

His style previously caught the eye of City boss Guardiola, who recently said: "Nowadays in Serie A, you see the forwards get far more service and in more comfortable areas.

"Italian football will always have an element of defend and counter, because that's an aspect that is admired abroad and part of your culture.

“But with the revolution of Arrigo Sacchi and lately coaches like Maurizio Sarri and Roberto De Zerbi, there are teams who play the ball more and therefore also concede more."

Guardiola and De Zerbi are known to be friends and last week were pictured having lunch together alongside Italian midfield great Daniele De Rossi and former Man City man Aleksander Kolarov.

It is thought that Kolarov – who has a wealth of Premier League experience – could indeed be De Zerbi's deputy if he takes the Brighton role.

The respect between De Zerbi and Guardiola is mutual as the Italian previously stated: "Better to lose the Champions League final with Guardiola than to win it with someone else."

Not entirely sure abut that – but we get his point.