An American is about to make history.
American-born manager Hürzeler to become youngest manager in Premier League history with Brighton
Premier League’s Brighton & Hove Albion are in advanced talks with newly-promoted Bundesliga club FC St. Pauli to appoint Fabian Hürzeler as their new manager for the 2024/25 campaign, according to multiple reports.
Brighton have just made contact with St. Pauli for 31 year old manager Fabian Hürzeler!
Negotiations ongoing over compensation after positive talks with Hürzeler on project, contract details and more.Born in February 1993, Hürzeler now clear favorite to replace De Zerbi. pic.twitter.com/eopdj97ynE
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 8, 2024
The American-born manager, who helped St. Pauli reach their sixth-ever promotion to the Bundesliga and pushed the club into the country's top-flight for the first time since the 2010/11 campaign, will become the youngest permanent head coach in Premier League history at 31 years old.
Brighton have reportedly been granted a Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) work permit for Hürzeler, the most important obstacle in bringing the coaching-sensation to England for the upcoming season and are now in ongoing negotiations with St. Pauli over compensation for Hürzeler’s imminent move.
Brighton and St. Pauli are advancing in talks over compensation fee for Fabian Hürzeler! Here we go, expected soon.
Full agreement on contract and project between 31 year old manager and Brighton, as revealed yesterday; just waiting on compensation fee.Almost there. pic.twitter.com/7TB7caCXE2
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 9, 2024
Hürzeler is now set to become the replacement of former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi after the Italian's farewell to the club at the end of the previous 2023/24 season. De Zerbi oversaw Brighton in their first-ever qualification to a European tournament in the 2022/23 campaign, leading the club to the round-of-16 stage in the UEFA Europa League last season.
Hürzeler began his professional managerial career as the assistant at St. Pauli under head coach Timo Schultz in 2022.
Though, after Schultz's dismissal in December 2022, Hürzeler was named the interim head coach and weeks later, the U.S.-born was permanently appointed as the head coach, making him the youngest head coach in the 2. Bundesliga league at only 29 years old — taking the club from a tough relegation battle to fighting for the top spots in the league table and securing promoting to the country’s top-flight.