'As soon as possible' - Real Madrid in 'negotiations' for Brighton's 'great sensation'

According to Sport, Real Madrid has ‘already contacted’ the 44-year-old Italian, who is in his second season at Brighton and Hove Albion, after guiding the club into Europe for the first time in their history.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti will leave the Bernabeu at the end of the season, when his contract expires.

Reporter Joaquim Piera wrote: “Florentino Pérez closes Ancelotti's time in Madrid and sets himself the goal of the Brighton coach, who is the great sensation of the Premier [League].

“Ancelotti points to the Seleçao and Madrid thinks of De Zerbi as the ideal profile to lead a reconstruction project with young players... and perhaps [Kylian] Mbappé.”

Piera claimed that Madrid president Pérez ‘wants to shake up’ the Spanish giants’ locker room for next season.

"The club has launched its machinery to find a replacement that it wants to sign as soon as possible,” the report added.

"And one of the best placed to take the reins next summer is, as SPORT has learned, Roberto De Zerbi, one of the great sensations of European football with Brighton, a signature team.

“Negotiations are in their initial phase. Florentino believes that De Zerbi is already prepared to make the big leap in his career, which has been predicted in many forums for many months. Above all, he is valued for his courage to work with young footballers.”

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