'If he calls me' - Midfielder makes honest Roberto De Zerbi admission amid Brighton and Marseille speculation

The 25-year-old Frenchman worked under De Zerbi during his time in charge at Sassuolo.

Lopez was brought to the Serie A club by the Italian in October 2020 on a season-long loan with an option to buy from Marseille.

He made 30 appearances for I Neroverdi during the 2020-21 campaign, scoring two goals, before his loan deal became permanent in April 2021.

But Lopez and De Zerbi’s working relationship proved to be short-lived. The Italian announced in May 2021 he would be leaving Sassuolo to take the reins of perennial Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk at the end of the campaign.

Albion are currently in the market for midfielders. Alex Mac Allister has already left the Seagulls this summer to join Liverpool, while Moisés Caicedo looks likely to join Chelsea following months of transfer speculation.

And Lopez, who has gone on to make 98 appearances for Sassuolo, admitted he was open to the idea of reuniting with De Zerbi as the Seagulls look to revamp their midfield.

Speaking to French outlet CARRÉ, as relayed by Sassuolo News, Lopez said: “I spent three seasons at Sassuolo, which is a great club.

“I’ve already talked to them about my future, I thanked them because in a certain way they relaunched me and also allowed me to show off, but I think the time has come to go and aim higher.

“I feel very good in Italy, I love this country, I speak Italian, and there are big clubs and if I could go to one of these clubs it would be the best. I also really like a club in the south that reminds me a lot of Marseille.

“Then there’s the Premier League. De Zerbi? If he calls me from Brighton, we can discuss it seriously.

“Return to Marseille? I’ve thought about it several times, I’d like to come back but you don’t have to come back just to come back, I keep wondering if it’s a good choice or not.”