Former Empoli manager Cristian Bucchi has told L’Interista that Brighton & Hove Albion called him to ask about signing Davide Frattesi.
The midfielder came up through the ranks of Sassuolo’s youth system and they sent him out on loan to Ascoli, Empoli and Monza between 2018 and 2021, before Inter Milan signed him on loan with an obligation to buy last summer.
Prior to joining the Nerazzurri, claims from Italy stated that Brighton had shown interest in the 24-year-old.
Roberto De Zerbi knows the player well from his time at Sassuolo and he led the Seagulls’ efforts to sign the Italy international.
Bucchi was in charge of Empoli in the first few months of the 2019/20 season, and during his time there, he managed Frattesi. It was then the English club had contacted him about the midfielder.
“A few years ago, a scout from Brighton called me and told me that they were working on scouting and that one of the players they had put under the microscope was Davide,” he said.
L’Interista asked when did it happen and Bucchi revealed why Brighton weren’t able to secure a deal for Frattesi.
“During Potter’s management, De Zerbi wasn’t there yet, they followed him and would have done everything to bring him to Brighton,” Bucchi explained.
“Sassuolo rightly made different choices, first in keeping him and then in selling him to Inter even though the English were among the clubs that would have done anything to get him.”
