Courted by Europe's football elite, tickled by the prospect of being able to raise the bar of ambitions, but also aware of having reached a crossroads in the season of his current club, faced with the flattering offers from Barcelona (in Spain they are certain it is him the number 1 candidate to take Xavi's place) and Bayern Munich, Roberto De Zerbi thanks him, leaves his future open, but vows to only think about ending the year on the Brighton bench in the best possible way.
And the club on the other hand tries to make a wall: "We want to keep him", whatever the cost.
Having landed in the Premier League a year and a half ago now, it only took the Italian coach a very few weeks to conquer England football, beyond the results obtained: fans, enthusiasts and professionals were enchanted by his always proactive football, offensive, in the spirit of entertainment.
A true innovator, as Daniele De Rossi recently defined him, the latest in a long list of De Zerbi admirers, christened upon his arrival in England even by Pep Guardiola, who in unsuspecting times had exposed himself publicly in enthusiastic praise .
Taking over from Graham Potter in September 2022, De Zerbi was able to lead Brighton, a small Premier League giant, to a historic qualification for the Europa League.
An achievement made even more remarkable by the very high quality of play of the Seagulls, for many observers the most entertaining team in the championship.
But forced, last summer, to give up some of his jewels, such as the Argentinian new world champion Alexis Mac Allister.
Transfers that ended up affecting Brighton's performance this season, currently seventh, far from the European zone.
Yet rumors about De Zerbi's future continue to bounce around his Majesty's tabloids.
Under contract until June 2026, with an annual salary of just under two million euros, even in recent days Brighton - according to the voice of its general director - has ruled out an early separation.
“We want him to stay with us for a long time, and we have the right environment to keep him.”
But like any marriage, the union of purpose must be shared by both.
And, at least at the moment, the intentions of the former Shakhtar Donetsk coach are unclear.
Much will depend on what Brighton's path will be in the Europa League, where a double match with Roma awaits them in the round of 16.
But perhaps even more decisive will be the investment plans of the small English club, to build a squad capable of challenging the current hierarchies across the Channel on equal terms.
If there is a divorce, De Zerbi will certainly be spoiled for choice, as there are so many admirers of him.
But it is not even a given - considering the unpredictability of the character - that he will finally decide to stay one more year overlooking the Channel, postponing the move to other stages until a later date.
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