While Milan may not be interested and Bayern Munich directors deny a deal, Roberto De Zerbi is emerging as a Napoli candidate after leaving Brighton.
The announcement came today via a formal statement that De Zerbi will be leaving Brighton and Hove Albion by mutual consent after tomorrow’s final Premier League game of the season with Manchester United.
Although he might seem an ideal fit for Milan, having grown up in their youth academy, it seems as if De Zerbi is not on the Rossoneri’s wish-list.
He was assumed to be heading towards Bayern Munich, who this afternoon finished third in the Bundesliga under Thomas Tuchel.
However, director Max Eberl told ZDF reporters today that he could “deny” the next coach is going to be Italian.
De Zerbi heading to Napoli?
Some Italian sources including Enrico Varriale of RAI Sport suggest that maybe De Zerbi is the secret candidate who has been in the background for Napoli while the talks drag on with Antonio Conte.
It would be a return for the man who turns 45 next month, as he was on the Napoli books for years as a player, then made his Serie A debut as coach of Benevento.
De Zerbi went out on a lot of loan moves, but still played 42 competitive games for the Partenopei, scoring four goals and providing three assists.
He plays with the same 4-3-3 formation that President Aurelio De Laurentiis stated last year he was looking for to continue the work done by Scudetto-winning Luciano Spalletti.