New Brighton Deal ‘Excites’ Hurzeler

Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler says it is an “honour” to sign a new three-year deal with the club.

The 33-year-old German, who took over at the Seagulls in June 2024, still had 12 months to run on his previous contract.

Brighton are eighth in the Premier League, on 50 points with three matches remaining, as they seek European football for only the second time in the club’s history.

“I absolutely love working for this club and living in the city and I am delighted to have agreed a new contract,” said Hurzeler, whose side host Wolves on Saturday.

“To have this long-term commitment from the club is an honour, and one which only reinforces my desire to succeed in delivering on our shared long-term vision.

“From the beginning our focus has always been on forging an identity, developing the team, challenging the establishment and pushing our standards every day.

“I’m proud of what we have done so far, and even more excited about what is still to come.”

Hurzeler became the youngest ever full-time manager of a Premier League team when he replaced current Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi, who left Brighton at the end of the 2023-24 season.

The club’s only campaign in continental competition was in the 2023-24 Europa League after De Zerbi led them to a sixth-placed top-flight finish.

That was the highest in Brighton’s history and Hurzeler now has the chance to match that feat, with his side just two points behind Bournemouth in that position.

There is also an outside chance that finishing sixth could result in a Champions League spot for next season.

Brighton still have a mathematical chance of overtaking fifth-placed Aston Villa for a definite Champions League qualification place, but are eight points behind Unai Emery’s men.

Hurzeler came through the youth ranks at Bayern Munich but cut short his professional playing career at 23 to go into lower-level coaching.

He later became assistant coach at St Pauli in 2020 and took charge of the team in December 2022, before leading them to the Bundesliga 2 title in 2024.

Hurzeler had been linked with a return to Germany, with reports,of interest from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.