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 |
|---|---|
| Kieran McKenna | 4/6 |
| Francesco Farioli | 11/2 |
| Graham Potter | 15/2 |
| Russell Martin | 17/2 |
| Liam Rosenior | 9/1 |
| Vincent Kompany | 10/1 |
| Ruben Amorim | 14/1 |
*Odds with Betfair and correct as of 10:30am Monday 20th 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.
Kieran McKenna
Kieran McKenna is the current favourite to be named next Brighton manager. The 38-year-old is the fastest-rising managerial star in English football right now after an excellent debut season with Ipswich Town.
McKenna took charge of the Tractor Boys last summer following their promotion from League One, with most simply expecting the goal to be survival. However, Ipswich went on to finish 2nd in the Championship with 96 points, meaning they will be plying their trade in the Premier League next term. Had Ipswich missed out on promotion, it may have been easier to convince McKenna to leave, whereas now he may wish to stick it out with his current club and give Premier League survival a go.
Francesco Farioli
The last Italian Brighton hired did a great job so why not try another? Francesco Farioli is another emerging star in the managerial world at just 35 years of age.
Farioli is currently in charge of Ligue 1 outfit Nice and like McKenna, 2023/24 was his first campaign in management. However, you would not think it after the French outfit finished 5th in the top flight, earning a place in next season’s Europa Conference League. Given Brighton have no European football next term, this could be a sticking point when trying to convince Farioli to move.
Graham Potter
Next up in the betting market 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.
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 are set to face off with Leeds United in the play-off final this coming weekend and should they win that tie, Brighton may find it harder to lure the Englishman to the Amex.
Vincent Kompany
Vincent Kompany is among the favourites to be the next Brighton manager despite his struggles in 2023/24. The Belgian’s Burnley side produced some of the highest-quality possession-based football en route to their promotion in 2022/23.
However, when the Clarets tired to repeat that style early in their Premier League stint, it proved fatal. Whether that was down to Kompany as a manager or simply a lack of quality from the players is up for debate, but the former Manchester City stopper has shown in the past he can play a style of football that fits Brighton’s philosophy.
Today’s Football Tips
There is no Premier League action today, but there is one Serie A fixture set to play out as Bologna face off with Juventus.
Juventus travel away from home to take on Bologna, 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
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