Brighton & Hove Albion are currently on the lookout for a new manager in wake of Roberto De Zerbi’s exit at the end of the season.
The Italian coach replaced Graham Potter in 2022 and guided the Seagulls to their highest-ever Premier League finish – sixth – in 2023.
Brighton announced De Zerbi’s exit by mutual consent before the final day of the 2023/24 season and are yet to appoint his replacement.
Now, TBR Football understands that Potter has ruled himself out of returning to Brighton for a second spell.
Potter was being considered by the Seagulls and contact had been made, but TBR understands that there will be no reunion.
Potter has turned down numerous chances to return to management in the past 12 months as he awaits the chance he wants – TBR understands that he would be ‘very interested’ in the England job, if and when it becomes available.
As for Brighton – TBR can confirm they have held talks with intermediaries over St Pauli boss Fabian Hurzeler.
Hurzeler has just led St Pauli to the Bundesliga 2 title and is very highly rated. The 31-year-old is believed to have shown up well in Brighton’s search which relies heavily on analytics.
Brighton are still searching for their new boss after De Zerbi left at the end of the season.
They offered the job to Kieran McKenna after talks and they thought he set to arrive at the AMEX, but he opted to sign new deal at Portman Road.
Who is Brighton managerial target Fabian Hurzeler?
Fabian Hurzeler was born in the United States to a Swiss father and German mother, and spent much of his playing career in the lower leagues of Germany.
He plied his trade in the second strings of Bayern Munich, Hoffenheim and 1860 Munich before joining a Bavarian lower-league outfit FC Pipinsried as a player-coach.
During this time, Hurzeler also coached the German national team’s youth sides, and in 2020 he became assistant coach at St Pauli.
Hurzeler became the club’s interim manager in December 2022 after Timo Schultz’ dismissal and was given the job on a permanent basis just weeks later.
“In his time as assistant coach and caretaker coach, Fabian has shown he tackles challenges in a very structured way and offers concrete solutions,” St. Pauli sporting director Andreas Bornemann said, as per the Bundesliga website.
Meanwhile, former Bayern youth teammate Emre Can – now Borussia Dortmund’s captain – previously predicted that Hurzeler would enjoy a “great career as a coach”.
Indeed, at just 31 years of age, he may already be closing in on a managerial job in the Premier League.