INTERESTED parties will have to fork out Roberto De Zerbi’s release clause this summer if they want to prise the Italian from Brighton.
De Zerbi, 44, replaced Graham Potter as Seagulls boss in September 2022.
He has gone on to excel on the South Coast, guiding his side to a sixth place finish last season.
His exceptional work has seen him attract strong interest from Barcelona, with Xavi set to leave at the end of the season.
Reports in Spain have described De Zerbi as Barca’s “chosen one” – and claim that meetings have already taken place between his agents and the Catalan club’s sporting director Deco.
De Zerbi is under contract at Brighton until June 2026 and won’t come cheap.
The Seagulls are set to demand that his £12.8million release clause be paid in full, should a club want to appoint their manager.
According to Spanish paper Sport this is proving to be a stumbling block for Barca, with the skint LaLiga champions not wanting to pay at all.
Even if Barcelona cannot get De Zerbi, the Italian also has admirers at Bayern Munich and Liverpool.
Both Bayern and the Reds, like Barcelona, are set to hire new bosses at the end of the season – with Thomas Tuchel and Jurgen Klopp leaving their respective posts.
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Xabi Alonso has emerged as a strong candidate for both clubs, having played for them with distinction.
The Bayer Leverkusen boss is working wonders in the Bundesliga and currently leads Tuchel’s Bayern by eight points in the table.
With Alonso so hotly in demand, De Zerbi could emerge as a potential back-up plan for whoever does not manage to appoint the Spaniard.
Brighton currently sit seventh in the Premier League, and will face Roma in the Europa League round of 16 next month.
Speaking to Sky Sports, De Zerbi recently suggested that he has unfinished business with the Seagulls.
He said: “We feel we can write another part of Brighton’s history.
“When I hear that big teams are interested in me it is an honour. I am proud, but my focus is on my work day-by-day.”
He does have an eye on future projects, however, adding: “I would like in my career to compete to win the Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga, LaLiga, Champions League but there isn’t a time when you have to go and compete, or to wait some more time.”
On a team that holds a particular place in his heart, he added: “Milan for me is not a normal club because as a player I was born in AC Milan.
“For my life I will always be grateful for Milan. I love my country, I love Italy, I love Italian football.
“For sure one of my targets is to go back and work in my country, but I don’t know when is the time.”
Brighton will be back in action tomorrow, when they face Wolves at Molineux for a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
On Saturday they return to Premier League duties with a trip to Fulham.
