Graeme Souness and Simon Jordan clash over whether Roberto De Zerbi could manage Liverpool
Simon Jordan and Graeme Souness had differing opinions on whether Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi could replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.
The Italian has made a huge impression since his arrival at the AMEX Stadium in September 2022, following Graham Potter’s switch to Chelsea.
3
In his first season, De Zerbi led the Seagulls to a top-seven Premier League finish, ensuring the club qualified for the Europa League for the first time in its history.
Brighton have continued to impress this season despite a sizeable list of injuries to key players and topped a Europa League group containing AEK Athens and former European Cup winners Marseille and Ajax.
De Zerbi's possession-based football has been deemed attractive by onlookers, which has seen him linked with moves to Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United.
The wheels have fallen off for Brighton of late with just six wins in 22 League matches and a huge deficit to overcome to progress in the Europa League after a 4-0 Europa League drubbing at Roma last week in the first leg of their last-16 tie.
Read more on Liverpool
Souness, who was once critical of Brighton’s decision to appoint De Zerbi due to his lack of knowledge of English football, believes the Italian will be in the running to replace Klopp this summer.
“It's the style of football he’s playing that makes him attractive and I enjoy watching them,” Souness told talkSPORT.
“Graham Potter left them in a very healthy situation. You generally get a football management job because the roof is leaking and there’s problems.
“The Brighton job at that time was a good job to take and I think he’s done well. They’ve hit the wall a bit but does that warrant him getting one of the elite jobs? I’m not so sure.
Most read in Football
3
3
“You look at Liverpool at the end of the season and you get that job, what a dream job that is.
“Will he be in the frame? Yeah, because of the brand of football he plays, that will be attractive to people. Is [Xabi] Alonso the favourite? I believe he's talking to Bayern Munich.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp makes hilarious dig at former referee Mike Dean following his sides 1-1 draw with Manchester City
However, former Crystal Palace owner Jordan was a little more pessimistic about De Zerbi’s chances of moving to Anfield this summer.
“No, I can't see him being interviewed by Liverpool,” he said. “His name is not in the frame, he's either going to be given the job or he’s not going to be given the job.
“The bottom line is if you’re going after somebody who’s already got a job, what are Brighton going to do? Say, 'Go ahead and interview our manager if you fancy him and if you don’t fancy him send him back to us’?
“Do I think he will get the job at Liverpool? I don’t know, managing Brighton and managing Liverpool are two different things.”
Topics