'Won't leave' - Ex-Napoli defender makes Roberto De Zerbi admission amid Tottenham, Nice and Serie A interest

The 43-year-old has caught the eye of a number of clubs following a wonderful season at the Seagulls.

The ex-Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk head coach guided Albion to sixth place in the Premier League – securing European football for the first time in Brighton’s 122-year history.

He also took the Seagulls to the semi-finals of the FA Cup, where they were cruelly beaten on penalties by Manchester United.

The Brighton boss is believed to be on the radar of Tottenham Hotspur, Italian giants Inter Milan, AS Roma, AC Milan and Juventus, and French outfit OGC Nice.

And Serie A champions Napoli are reportedly the latest club to register an interest in De Zerbi.

Head coach Luciano Spalletti will leave the Serie A-winning side to take a year-long sabbatical after guiding I Partenopei to their first top-flight title in 33 years.

But Bucchi, who is a former team-mate of De Zerbi’s, has claimed the Albion boss wants to remain in England and continue his ‘splendid work’ at the Amex.

Speaking to Marte Sport Live, via TuttoNapoli, Bucchi said: “I’m a friend of Roberto, we played together in Naples.

“I stayed with him in Brighton for a week and watched how he works. He feels great in that environment, as I’ve seen him, I think he holds on to that experience and he won’t leave Brighton because next year he can complete the splendid work he’s carrying out.

“I also think that if he leaves the current club he’d still stay in the Premier League, where he can do great things as a manager and as a coach.”

De Zerbi gained plaudits in Italy for his work at Benevento and Sassuolo, and his Ukrainian Super Cup success at Shakhtar in 2021.

He was confirmed as the new Brighton head coach on September 18 2022, signing a four-year contract.