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Roberto De Zerbi has cast doubt over his Brighton future by refusing to commit to the Seagulls for next season – and revealing he wants to have talks with club owner Tony Bloom about his next steps.

The Italian manager, who took Brighton to European football for the first time this season, has been strongly linked to the soon-to-be-vacant positions at Liverpool and Bayern Munich, after Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso committed to the Bundesliga leaders on Friday.

De Zerbi will take his Brighton side to Liverpool on Super Sunday in a match billed as a potential audition for the Italian to become Jurgen Klopp’s successor

Asked if he could reassure Brighton fans that he will be at the club next season, De Zerbi replied: “I have a different way to decide my future.

“I want to speak with my club, I have a contract but the problem is not the contract – the problem is to find the same plan, the same target, the same vision for the future.

“For me, I have not decided yet what is my future, because I have the contract, but anyway I want to speak with (owner) Tony (Bloom), my club, to understand their plan, to understand his plan, the Tony plan. Then we take the decision together, without problems.

“My relationship with my players, my fans, I think it can’t change depending on the future. What we did is history and we can’t forget it.

“The future I want to keep my ambition, my motivation, 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.”

De Zerbi was then asked if he could sign a new contract at Brighton, he replied: “At the moment, no.

“We didn’t find the agreement. The contract is a part of the future. It’s important for me, it’s important for everyone but it’s a small part, the big part is the plan. We have to speak with the club.”

More to follow…

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