Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi named alongside Pep Guardiola, Jürgen Klopp and José Mourinho in list of 50 best managers in the world

The Italian succeeded Graham Potter at the Amex, who left to join Premier League rivals Chelsea last month.

The 43-year-old has yet to register a win as Seagulls manager, recording two draws and two defeats in his first four games in charge of Brighton.

But De Zerbi has earned high praise from FourFourTwo, who have named him the 41st best manager in the world – ahead of the likes of England’s Gareth Southgate, Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst, and ex-Chelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri.

Writing about the Italian, FourFourTwo said: “Roberto De Zerbi’s Sassuolo side were wonderful. They attacked with numbers, cut in to create chances and were resilient in their back four.

“But perhaps the most promising thing for Brighton is that this young coach seems to get the best out of everyone that he works with.

“The goatee’d genius elevated the likes of Jeremie Boga and Manuel Locatelli in Italy into the kinds of players that we’ve always expected them to be, while playing an entertaining brand of football – and while Shakhtar was a different kind of challenge, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Lassina Traore were both flourishing under him.

“The next Graham Potter? Don't put it past him.”

Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola tops FourFourTwo’s list ahead of Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti and Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Antonio Conte and AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli round out the top five.

Former Seagulls head coach Potter has been named as the eighth-best manager in the world, one place behind his Chelsea predecessor Thomas Tuchel.

Ex-PSG and Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino is in 22nd place, Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira comes in at 33rd, and José Mourinho, who is now in charge of AS Roma, has been ranked 35th.

You can read FourFourTwo’s list in full here.