What Roberto De Zerbi has said about his Brighton future amid Real Madrid links

Reports in Spain claim the Albion boss, who succeeded Graham Potter in the role in September 2022, has been approached by Los Blancos about replacing Carlo Ancelotti as their new manager next summer.

Ancelotti has been tipped to become Brazil's national boss at the end of this season, with the president of the country's football association, Ednaldo Rodrigues, insisting the 64-year-old will take up the post in 2024.

So, is De Zerbi, who was hailed as one of the most "influential" managers in the past 20 years by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, likely to swap the Amex for the Bernabeu any time soon?

Going by his own comments back in May, the 44-year-old, whose contract with the club expires in 2026, appeared to be very content at the Sussex outfit.

Before he led the Seagulls to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League last season, he said: “For me, it’s an honour to work here [at Brighton] and to continue to work here. I never thought to change teams, I never thought to go back to Italy or to another Premier League team.

“I want to stay I don’t know how many years, but for me, it’s an honour. I’m proud and I am enjoying a lot working with these players, with these people.”

He added to BBC Radio 5 Live: "It is an honour to be the coach of Brighton and work with these players. I want to stay a long time. The truth is I don't want to lose this group because I am enjoying working with them. [They are] a group with a big level and I don't want to lose this. I am lucky to work with them and be here at this moment."

Moreover, Daily Express journalist Charlie Parker-Turner states the reports claiming De Zerbi is in talks with Madrid are 'absolutely not true' by those close to the former Shakhtar Donetsk manager.

Incidentally, ex-Madrid player and current Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso is also reportedly on the Spanish side's managerial radar, with the German team sitting top of the Bundesliga at present.

That is not to say De Zerbi would not be tempted if Madrid came calling. The Italian spoke with reverence about the La Liga side in 2021 ahead of his then-Shakhtar side taking on Ancelotti's Madrid in the Champions League.

When asked what comes to mind when he thinks of Madrid, he said: “[Emilio] Butragueño, Hugo Sánchez, Míchel. That Madrid from when I was a child. For some, it is the Galactico club: [Zinedine] Zidane, Ronaldo, [David] Beckham... And if they are younger, like my son, then Cristiano [Ronaldo], [Gareth] Bale, Zidane and the Champions League... But it doesn’t matter: Madrid is always Madrid."

On Ancelotti himself, he added: “He is an important figure, and not just because he is a winner. He has always been ahead. He has always rewarded the quality of the players.

"He was one of the first Italians to collect as many 10s on the field. He did it at Milan with Kakà, Ronaldinho, [Clarence] Seedorf, and a 9. Just for that, I, as an Italian coach, have to be grateful to him. He has always known how to adapt to the times. He really is a reference.”

In the short-term, De Zerbi will be focused on firing Brighton up the Premier League table and progressing to the Europa League knockout stages. If his stock continues to rise, more suitors will come in for him but it seems he is not going anywhere anytime soon.

In recent seasons, Brighton have shown nobody is bigger than the club and they can still progress after selling their prized assets, such as Moises Caicedo, Ben White, Marc Cucurella, Yves Bissouma, and more.

If he does go, and a move like this may be too soon for De Zerbi, Albion will get ample compensation for him and as long as owner Tony Bloom is at the helm, the Seagulls will continue to be a success.