Roberto De Zerbi is a man in demand this summer and Bayern Munich have stepped up their interest in the Brighton manager to get ahead of a potential move from Liverpool

Liverpool will face serious competition from Bayern Munich for Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi this summer.

The Reds are searching for a replacement for Jurgen Klopp, but are shopping in the same market as Bayern and Barcelona, who are looking for the successors to Thomas Tuchel and Xavi.

Both Liverpool and Bayern were interested in hiring Xabi Alonso, who ruled himself out of the running last week by committing his future to Bayer Leverkusen.

Roberto De Zerbi could succeed Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich this summer (Image: David Horton/Getty Images)

That made De Zerbi a more attractive prospect and he hinted before Brighton’s 2-1 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday that he was open to moving clubs. The Italian is highly rated as a tactical innovator and his work with Brighton, Shakhtar Donetsk and Sassuolo suggests he could make the step up to a bigger club.

The Times reports that new Bayern sporting director Max Eberl is a big fan and has already made contact to gauge De Zerbi’s interest. Bayern are aware that De Zerbi is also being considered by Liverpool, so have back-up options including former boss Julian Naglesmann and ex-Manchester United interim coach Ralf Rangnick.

Naglesmann was sacked just over a year ago and is now looking forward to Euro 2024 as Germany manager, while Rangnick is in charge of Austria. The report states that Bayern were interested in Sebastian Hoeness – the nephew of their general manager Uli Hoeness – but he recently extended his contract with Stuttgart.

De Zerbi is under contract until June 2026 with Brighton, but he does have a release clause which could be triggered this summer for around £12.8million. And his comments before the Liverpool game will have encouraged Bayern. Asked if he could reassure Brighton fans that he will be at the club next season, De Zerbi replied: “I have a different way to decide my future.

“I want to speak with my club, I have a contract but the problem is not the contract – the problem is to find the same plan, the same target, the same vision for the future. For me, I have not decided yet what is my future, because I have the contract, but anyway I want to speak with Tony [Bloom], my club, to understand their plan, to understand his plan, the Tony plan. Then we take the decision together, without problems.

Ralf Rangnick is a surprise name on Bayern Munich’s shortlist (
Image:
Franck Fife/AFP)

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“My relationship with my players, my fans, I think it can’t change depending on the future. What we did is history and we can’t forget it. The future I want to keep my ambition, my motivation. I live for football 24 hours a day. I want to know what is the plan, what is the project, what is the future because if I don’t feel comfortable, I don’t feel the right motivation, I can’t stay any longer.”

Asked if he would sign a new contract at Brighton, he replied: “At the moment, no. We didn’t find the agreement. The contract is a part of the future. It’s important for me, it’s important for everyone but it’s a small part, the big part is the plan. We have to speak with the club.”