De Zerbi doesn't DESERVE links to Man Utd, Chelsea and Co.

Stuart Telford

• Updated: 29 Apr 2024 07:19 BST
• 5 min read

Roberto De Zerbi has been linked with a host of top jobs in European football - Manchester United, Chelsea and Bayern Munich - but they should take a closer look at his record.

Sunday's 3-0 loss to Bournemouth means that De Zerbi's Brighton have now only won two of the last 18 possible points, falling completely out of contention for European football next season.

They are safe, but only three points closer to Tottenham Hotspur in fifth than they are Luton in 18th.

READ MORE: Latest Man Utd transfer rumours

Their last win in any competition was last month's 1-0 victory at home to Roma in the Europa League last 16 - but even that was too little too late, with the Seagulls having had their wings clipped with a 4-0 defeat in the first leg.

Yet De Zerbi's name continues to be mentioned in relation to many top jobs around Europe.

De Zerbi's potential destinations

Erik ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino are under pressure after underwhelming seasons at United and Chelsea respectively, while Thomas Tuchel has long since confirmed he would be leaving Bayern.

READ MORE: Latest Chelsea transfer rumours

As well as being linked with those jobs - indeed, seen as a favourite for some - the Italian was even mentioned as a possible successor to Xavi at Barcelona before the Blaugrana legend U-turned on his decision to leave.

De Zerbi had started the season well, winning plaudits for what had seemed like seamless transition between Graham Potter's Brighton and his own. But all of his top performers preceded him on the south coast.

Pascal Groß has played his way into the Germany squad with four goals and 10 assists from midfield, ditto Lewis Dunk and England, although the club captain has done it from centre-back.

They were also at Brighton before Potter, but it would seem their trajectories have continued despite, rather than because, of De Zerbi.

De Zerbi's own signings have either flattered to deceive or not fooled anybody at all. Joao Pedro, a club record £30 million arrival from Watford, has top-scored for Brighton in the league with eight goals. Eight goals. From 28 appearances. At the cost of £3.75m per goal.

Ansu Fati was signed on loan from Barcelona amid much fanfare, but after two strikes in 17 outings neither parent nor client club appear keen to keep him around.

The dearth in goals was such that Brighton's Goal of the Month in April was the only one they scored - a freak own goal from Arijanet Muric against Burnley in what was an underwhelming 1-1 draw at Turf Moor.

At the other end, Bart Verbruggen was signed from Anderlecht for €20m, intended to be the new No.1, but De Zerbi doesn't seem to know who he prefers out of the Dutchman and Jason Steele, despite the latter's save ratio standing at just 57.5 per cent.

Defensive frailties

De Zerbi seems obsessed with playing out from the back, despite not having the personnel to pull it off. Thursday's 4-0 loss to Manchester City was another case in point.

Steele, with his pass completion of 38.6 per cent, was preferred this time, but he played his defence into trouble for City's third, with Valentin Barco having the ball nicked off his toe by Bernardo Silva before Phil Foden fired home.

Brighton have conceded three or more goals in 10 different games this season. Since September, they have only beaten Nottingham Forest, Brentford, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace and Spurs, and team spirit is at a low ebb, with even De Zerbi speaking out.

A threat or an offer?

"The future I want to keep my ambition, my motivation," he said as recently as March. "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."

But what kind of advert is that for a future employer?

According to various reports, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is leaning towards keeping Ten Hag around at Old Trafford, while Ralf Rangnick has now pulled into the lead for the top job in Munich.

Chelsea continue to be linked with De Zerbi - from Potter through Marc Cucurella to Moises Caicedo it is a well-trodden path - but on recent evidence they would be better bringing Tuchel back, and he just surrendered the Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen.

De Zerbi isn't De Zerb-ing of all the attention he's getting, and it would appear potential suitors are beginning to wake up.