Despite no interest from Milan and denials from Bayern Munich directors, Roberto De Zerbi is emerging as a candidate for Napoli after departing from Brighton.
De Zerbi’s departure from Brighton and Hove Albion was announced today through a formal statement, effective after their final Premier League game against Manchester United tomorrow. While De Zerbi, who grew up in Milan’s youth academy, might seem like an ideal fit for Milan, he is not on their list of potential candidates.
There were assumptions that De Zerbi might be headed to Bayern Munich, which finished third in the Bundesliga under Thomas Tuchel. However, director Max Eberl told ZDF reporters today that he could “deny” the possibility of an Italian coach taking over.
Is De Zerbi headed to Napoli?
Some Italian sources, including Enrico Varriale of RAI Sport, suggest that De Zerbi might be the secret candidate Napoli has been considering while negotiations with Antonio Conte continue.
This would mark a return for De Zerbi, who turns 45 next month and has a history with Napoli both as a player and coach. He played 42 competitive games for Napoli, scoring four goals and providing three assists. De Zerbi favors a 4-3-3 formation, which aligns with President Aurelio De Laurentiis’s preference to continue the work of Scudetto-winning coach Luciano Spalletti.