The announcement of Roberto De Zerbi’s departure from Brighton & Hove Albion continues to get big coverage in the Italian media, and even though many outlets focus on asking where he’ll work next, some wonder why he ended up leaving the Seagulls.
Sport Italia journalist Michele Criscitiello today shares a long column where he addresses the situation, talking about the madness that the coach’s exit could look like, even though his personal aspirations may give him some good reasons to find a new destination.
It’s pointed out that back in December, Brighton offered De Zerbi a four-year contract worth €8m per season, and he turned it down, now choosing to leave with no severance pay.
“Those who do not know him cannot know. He wants to play football and doesn’t want to count the money in his bank account. For me it is madness, but in the world we are not all the same. Behind his choice there is no Bayern, Milan, Barcelona, Juve or United. There is just a different idea of football that no longer fits with that of the club. He goes away and doesn’t look at money. Unique on the planet. Now he will wait for the project he likes, the team he likes.”
De Zerbi, who had worked as a manager at Darfo Boario, Foggia, Palermo, Benevento, Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk, joined Brighton in September 2022. His great achievement was finishing 6h in the Premier League in his first season, but Brighton now ended up in 11th. He leaves the club with a record of 38 wins, 20 draws and 31 losses in 89 matches in charge.
