Roberto De Zerbi issued this statement on his Brighton contract amid latest Man United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe link

Brighton and Hove Albion head coach Roberto De Zerbi is a man in demand.

The Italian has impressed during his time with the Seagulls and has already been linked with a number of top jobs in the Premier League and across Europe. A quick search will reveal links to Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus and Liverpool

De Zerbi is now though apparently on the radar of Man United as Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks at possible alternatives to current boss Erik ten Hag.

De Zerbi, 44, replaced Graham Potter at Brighton in September 2022 and his style of football and passion on the touchline made him a huge favourite with the Brighton fans. He immediately guided them to sixth in the Premier League, the semi-final of the FA Cup and qualification to the Europa League.

This term, despite losing top talents Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo, the Seagulls are challenging for top six once again, are into the fifth round of the FA Cup and have advanced to the knockout stages of the Europa League.

De Zerbi clearly has the talent and charisma to manage at the very highest level but he is contracted to Brighton until June 2026 and talks on a new deal are said to be ongoing – although, worryingly for Albion fans, little progress seems to have been made.

"We are speaking about the new contract but at the moment we are only speaking," he said last December. "At the end we have to analyse the target.

"If the targets are the same as the club's, it's an honour for me to work in Brighton. I don't try to reach the higher level. It’s important for me to fix an important target."

In January, when asked about speculation linking him to the Liverpool role as Jurgen Klopp’s successor, De Zerbi shook his head: "My focus is just on the last part of the season.”