Head coach Roberto de Zerbi announced on May 18 that he was set to leave Brighton after their final Premier League match of the season at home to Manchester United on Sunday.
De Zerbi guided Brighton to their highest-ever Premier League finish in 2022/23, earning them 6th place and Europa League football. 2023/24 was less fruitful, with the Seagulls finishing 11th, but a drop-off was expected after a number of major player sales last summer.
Whoever comes in to replace the Italian will have a tough act to follow, with Brighton fans becoming accustomed to a high-possession, attacking style of play. But there are already a number of names being linked with a move to the Amex ahead of 2024/25.
Next Brighton Manager Odds
Here is a run through the latest odds for the next Brighton manager market.
| Manager | Odds |
|---|---|
| Graham Potter | 10/11 |
| Slobodan Drapic | 5/1 |
| Henrik Rydstrom | 7/1 |
| Russell Martin | 10/1 |
| Kieran McKenna | 12/1 |
| Steve Cooper | 14/1 |
| Frank Schmidt | 14/1 |
*Odds with Betfair and correct as of 9:30am Thursday 30th May 2024
Next Brighton Manager Odds: Leading Contenders
Here’s a look at some of the names at the head of the betting market right now.
Graham Potter
The current favourite to take up the role is former Brighton boss, Graham Potter. Potter previously took charge of the Seagulls from May 2019 to September 2022 before leaving for Chelsea. However, the 49-year-old endured an ill-fated spell at Stamford Bridge and left the club after a year at the helm.
The Blues struggled for any real identity under Potter but as shown by Mauricio Pochettino this past season, the issues at Stamford Bridge may run deeper than who sits in the dugout. Hiring former managers rarely works out for clubs, but Jose Mourinho’s second spell at Chelsea is an example of when it can be a good idea (sort of). Potter is also currently out of work, meaning he could be easier to snap up than some other names on this list.
Slobodan Drapic
Slobodan Drapic has emerged as a contender for the Brighton job over the last week and is one of the lesser-known names on this list.
Drapic is currently managing in Isreal with Bnei Sakhnin, whom he guided to a 6th-place finish in the Ligat ha’Al. The 59-year-old has limited experience and may be something of a risky signing, but the Seagulls are well known for signing personnel from lesser-known leagues who have a quality not yet showcased to the wider world.
Henrik Rydstrom
Henrik Rydstrom is currently honing his craft in his home country of Sweden with Malmo. The 48-year-old joined the club in 2022, winning the league in 2023 and currently sitting top of the 2024 table after 12 games.
Malmo may not be too happy about letting their manager go midway through a campaign but Rydstrom is only under contract until December 31, 2024, meaning any pay-out would likely be quite low for Brighton.
Russell Martin
A common theme with Brighton managers and the names on this list is they are often fairly young. And Russel Martin is no exception at just 35 years of age. Martin is currently in charge of Southampton, whom he guided to a 4th-place finish in the Championship this season.
The Saints then faced off with Leeds United in the play-off final this past weekend and secured promotion to the Premier League, meaning Brighton may find it harder to lure the Englishman to the Amex.
Today’s Football Tips
Premier League football does not get back underway until August. But there is one Ligue 1 clash taking place today, as Saint-Etienne face off with Metz.
Metz travel away from home to take on Saint-Etienne on Thursday, and we’ve got it covered with our bet builder of the day article, while for those of you looking to place an acca, we have our acca of the day lined up and ready to go.
This week’s best free bets and enhanced offers
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/xlmedia/e9541171-6e36-41e8-a7cb-b5d9449f56a1.png)
