Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Liverpool have already held internal discussions about one possible managerial candidate to take over from Jurgen Klopp later this year.
One name which has cropped up more often than most over the past week is Roberto De Zerbi, whose reputation in England has soared throughout his 16 months in charge at Brighton.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist affirmed that the 44-year-old is a potential target for the Anfield hierarchy, who are first set to appoint a new sporting director to replace Jorg Schmadtke before honing in on the hunt for their next manager.
Romano outlined: “Roberto De Zerbi is another manager they have discussed internally as one of the options. So this name for sure will be on the shortlist.
“Let’s see who else is going to be on this list. Let’s see what the new director will decide in terms of who is the best manager for the new project after Jurgen Klopp.
“It’s never easy to come into a club like Liverpool and make an impact at the same level of Jurgen Klopp. They will speak internally, they will have a new director and then they will decide who is going to be the new coach.”
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De Zerbi led Brighton into Europe for the first time in their history last year and so far they’ve shown they belong on that stage, topping a Europa League containing two former Champions League winners in Ajax and Marseille.
He also has an excellent record against Liverpool, with two wins and two draws in four meetings against Klopp’s side, including a 3-0 hammering at the Amex Stadium just over a year ago (Transfermarkt).
The Italian has become renowned for a possession-based style of football and a master at beating the opposition press (Sky Sports), while Alexis Mac Allister scored eight goals from midfield under his watch last season (Transfermarkt).
However, De Zerbi’s Brighton have a curious vulnerability to occasional batterings, such as last night’s 4-0 demise away to Luton, the 6-1 thumping by Aston Villa earlier in the season and a 1-5 shellacking at home to relegation-threatened Everton last May.
Also, after winning five of their first six Premier League games this term, the Seagulls have been victorious in just three of the subsequent 16 – not the kind of form which’d satisfy Liverpool fans if he were to repeat such a sequence with the Reds.
He might’ve worked wonders for the most part as Graham Potter’s successor on the south coast, but coming in after Klopp on Merseyside is another matter entirely. Still, if his name has been discussed within the corridors of Anfield -as the reliable Romano has asserted – he must be doing plenty right.