‘Seriously’ – Ex-Roberto De Zerbi midfielder who rejected Liverpool keen on Brighton transfer
The 25-year-old has two years left on his contact at Sassuolo but said he now wants to aim higher in his career and would seriously consider a move to Brighton
Sassuolo star Maxime Lopez has said that if his former manager Roberto De Zerbi wants him to join Brighton this summer that he would seriously consider the offer.
The attacking midfielder joined the Serie A side from Marseille in 2020 and admitted the current Albion boss was a huge factor in him linking up with the Italian team. Lopez, who had the chance to join Liverpool’s academy when he was a teenager but ended up joining Marseille instead, was a fan of De Zerbi then and nothing appears to have changed.
In March, the Frenchman told So Foot that the Seagulls boss was a “genius” and “another [Pep] Guardiola”, while reports in Italy suggested Lopez ‘pushed’ for a move to Brighton in January but Sassuolo refused the deal.
He’s now hoping to get a move away this summer and says the American Express Stadium could be a destination that he’d consider seriously if De Zerbi were to want him at Brighton.
In March, the Frenchman told So Foot that the Seagulls boss was a “genius” and “another [Pep] Guardiola”, while reports in Italy suggested Lopez ‘pushed’ for a move to Brighton in January but Sassuolo refused the deal.
He’s now hoping to get a move away this summer and says the American Express Stadium could be a destination that he’d consider seriously if De Zerbi were to want him at Brighton.
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“I’ve already talked to them about my future, I thanked them because in a certain way they relaunched me and also allowed me to show off, but I think the time has come to go and aim higher.
“I feel very good in Italy, I love this country, I speak Italian, and there are big clubs and if I could go to one of these clubs it would be the best. I also really like a club in the south that reminds me a lot of Marseille.
“Then there’s the Premier League. De Zerbi? If he calls me from Brighton, we can discuss it seriously.
“Return to Marseille? I’ve thought about it several times, I’d like to come back but you don’t have to come back just to come back, I keep wondering if it’s a good choice or not.”
Brighton have already lost one midfielder this summer in Argentine Alexis Mac Allister, who joined Liverpool for around £35million last month. The future of Ecuadorian international Moises Caicedo is uncertain meanwhile, with Chelsea and Manchester United both reportedly looking at the 21-year-old.
Midfielders James Milner and Mahmoud Dahoud have both arrived on free deals from Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund respectively, while winger Joao Pedro has been signed for a club record £30million fee from Watford.
